Townsville firefighter issues warning on e-scooters, tablets with lithium-ion batteries

Coming into 2025, firefighters hope to see a decrease in blazes caused by lithium-ion batteries in things like e-scooters, phones and tablets. Read how you can protect your home.

A Townsville fire station manager has issued a warning on the dangers of lithium-ion batteries.

Townsville firefighters are reminding residents of the dangers of lithium-ion batteries this new year, especially in Christmas presents like e-scooters and phones.

It comes as the service attended dozens of battery fires across the state in 2024.

South Townsville Fire Station manager Brett Ackland said he expects fires to become more common around this time of year, with many people given e-scooters for Christmas.

“The frequency of incidents involving lithium batteries has become more prevalent,“ Mr Ackland said.

“Mobile phones, e-scooters, tablets, all kinds of items now that have a lithium battery can have their own hazards with them.”

South Townsville Fire and Rescue Service station manager Brett Ackland is reminding residents to take care with lithium-ion appliances. Picture: Holly Fishlock.

Mr Ackland said many residents did not know the main causes of lithium fires.

“The most prevalent is the time people leave these appliances on charge,” Mr Ackland said.

“Each lithium battery has its own charging period. If you were to leave something on charge overnight that’s only supposed to charge for an hour, that can lead to a potential safety issue.”

While the threat of fires may seem daunting, Mr Ackland said there were simple steps residents could take to protect themselves.

“Smoke alarms in houses should be tested regularly,” Mr Ackland said.

“We advise people to dispose of [lithium battery products] at a place such as Battery World for example. People shouldn’t put them in general waste because they can cause further problems once they get to the rubbish tip.”

Residents are reminded to call triple-0 in case of an emergency.

Originally published as Townsville firefighter issues warning on e-scooters, tablets with lithium-ion batteries