Lithium-Ion Battery and EV Fires: How to Protect Your Building
Updated: November 2026 2 min readBy the Vinsafe fire safety team
Quick guide to lithium ion battery fire: Lithium-ion batteries in EVs, e-bikes, UPS and storage can catch fire in a way ordinary fires don't. What thermal runaway is and how to protect people and property.
Lithium-ion batteries power phones, laptops, e-rickshaws, e-scooters, electric cars, UPS systems and battery storage. When one fails, the fire behaves very differently from a normal fire. As EV adoption grows in India, every building owner needs a plan for battery fires.
What is thermal runaway?
When a lithium-ion cell is damaged, overcharged or has a manufacturing defect, it can heat up uncontrollably. That heat spreads to neighbouring cells, releasing flammable and toxic gases. The fire can reignite hours after it seems to be out.
Why battery fires are hard to fight
- They produce their own oxygen and heat, so smothering is less effective
- Toxic smoke builds up fast in closed spaces like basements
- Re-ignition is common
- Ordinary extinguishers may knock down flames but not stop the chain reaction
Where the risk is highest
- Basement parking with EV chargers
- E-bike and e-scooter charging in lobbies, stairwells and homes
- Warehouses storing batteries or battery-powered goods
- UPS and battery rooms in offices and data centres
- E-rickshaw charging depots
Protection measures
- Lithium battery (AVD) extinguishers designed for battery fires
- Battery fire blankets for e-bikes and cells;EV car fire blankets to cover a burning car and contain the fire
- Battery charging and storage cabinets with fire-resistant construction for e-bike and tool batteries
- Early detection : smoke and heat detectors, and off-gas detection for battery rooms
- Chargers installed by qualified electricians with proper circuit protection
- Clear rules: no charging on escape routes, stairwells or near exits
What to do in a battery fire
Evacuate the area and call 101. Only trained people should tackle battery fires, using the right equipment. Do not re-enter a smoke-filled basement.
Products mentioned in this guide
AVD Lithium-Ion Extinguisher
Portable Extinguishers · AVD agent that cools cells and prevents re-ignition
EV Car & Battery Fire Blanket
Fire & EV Blankets · Contains EV and lithium battery fires, smoke and re-ignition
Lithium Battery Charging Cabinet
Safety Storage Cabinets · Fire-resistant cabinet to store and charge Li-ion batteries safely
Battery Thermal-Runaway Detection
Fire Detection · Off-gas sensing that warns before lithium batteries ignite
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