The most common cause of domestic fires in Australia is cooking accidents and unattended cooking, particularly kitchen fires. This accounts for approximately 45% of all residential fires. These fires typically start when:
- Cooking is left unattended
- Oil or grease overheats and ignites
- Flammable items are left too close to cooking surfaces
- People fall asleep while cooking
That’s not to say Li-ion batteries should be ignored – just that we need to put things in perspective. To minimize the risk of battery fires, fire authorities recommend:
- Only using original chargers from the manufacturer
- Not charging devices overnight or unattended
- Avoiding charging in escape routes or confined spaces
- Inspecting batteries regularly for damage
- Never modifying batteries or using aftermarket components