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Lithium-ion battery fires and explosions

When an e-bike, e-scooter, hoverboard, phone or power bank battery overheats, catches fire or explodes, the battery maker, device maker, charger maker or seller may be responsible. Uncertified batteries and incompatible chargers are recurring problems CPSC has warned about.

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Reviewed by Brian S. Coutts · Reviewed October 22, 2026 · Published October 21, 2026 · Updated October 22, 2026

AV Preeminent®*Scott D. Brown · Martindale-Hubbell40+ yearsof Scott D. Brown's injury practiceFreecase review

Key facts

What to do now

What has CPSC said about lithium-ion battery fires?

CPSC urges people to use micromobility devices and batteries certified to the applicable safety standards, to use only the charger supplied or recommended by the maker, and not to charge while asleep or away; it notes many lithium-ion battery home fires and deaths happened at night during charging (CPSC (opens in new tab)).

CPSC has also warned against chargers marketed as "universal," reporting 156 fire and thermal incidents involving such chargers from January 1, 2023 to May 16, 2024 (CPSC, Sept. 5, 2024 (opens in new tab)).

Who may be responsible for a battery fire?

The battery cell maker, pack assembler, device brand, charger maker, importer, and online or retail seller can each play a part. Many products are imported, so an early step is identifying a U.S. company that can be held responsible.

What evidence should I keep after a battery fire?

Keep everything. Do not throw away the device, battery, charger or packaging, even if damaged. Keep receipts and order pages. You can check CPSC recalls (opens in new tab) and report the incident at SaferProducts.gov (opens in new tab).

Hurt riding an e-bike rather than in a battery fire? See our e-bike accident page (opens in new tab).

Related: how product liability burn claims work · what to do after a burn injury

Talk with us about what happened

If you or someone in your family was hurt by a battery fire or explosion, at home or anywhere else, we can review it with you at no cost. There is no pressure to hire us.

Call (801) 255-2102 or request a free case review.

Sources

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