This video has been created to serve large enterprises for demonstration purposes only, specifically companies and organizations with professional personnel that have the required skills to handle lithium-ion battery fires.
Please note that the information provided in this video is NOT applicable to private people facing an electrical fire on their personal electric car, e-bike, electric scooter, or any other electrical device that has a lithium-ion battery. This video only demonstrates how explosions from the battery behave in a fire event. Performing any actions presented in this video is NOT recommended at the risk of severe injury.
This video has been created to demonstrate how ineffective powder extinguishers are when fighting a Lithium-Ion battery fire, therefore this type of extinguisher is not recommended to be used to put out the fire.
Some people would naturally react by trying to put out a small fire, however when it comes to lithium-ion battery fires it is recommended that (if possible) you allow a battery pack to burn itself out until the device has been fully consumed, to be sure that there is no risk of re-ignition. Please note that this should only be done in a safe environment, as the smoke from a burning Lithium-Ion battery is often corrosive and dangerous to your health.
If it is not possible to let the battery pack burn until fully consumed, the current recommended action from fire brigades is to extinguish the fire (removal of flames) as shown at the end of the video. This means moving the battery outside as soon as possible. If you do not have a shovel at hand, you could use a fire blanket, fit for this purpose.
The successful method of extinguishing a lithium-ion battery fire, is to drop the entire battery into water. However, it is important to note that this could also result in toxic consequences. The water in which the battery is placed will become severely polluted, which makes it vital to carefully select where you will place the burning device. If possible, place the battery in a container with water, rather than a river, pond, or nearby anybody to avoid a threat to people and the environment.
We strongly recommend not to create any similar fire tests of lithium-ion batteries, due to the extremely unpredictable nature of such fires and high hazard for personnel and environment.
In the video below, we demonstrate common mistakes made when attempting to extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire. Before watching the video, please note that lithium-ion battery fires are very different from a traditional fire as they pose complex and serious hazards.
Persons without the required skills and personal protective equipment should not attempt to extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire. It is important to always contact the local fire brigade when a battery is on fire and prioritise your personal safety first and foremost.