Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) is warning about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries following recent fires, including a central Edmonton apartment fire on Wednesday evening that led to 80 people being evacuated and one person sent to hospital. On Thursday, fire officials said the apartment fire in the Wîhkwêntôwin neighbourhood was started by an e-bike battery. EFRS said it was one of two e-bike battery fires that they responded to this past week. “Although less frequent than some of our other leading causes of fires, these lithium-ion fires are extremely dangerous to people and property, and they can cause challenges for our crews who need to put them out,” EFRS Assistant Deputy Chief Justin Lallemand said in a news statement on Friday. EFRS responded to eight fires involving lithium-ion batteries in 2025. The batteries are common in electronic devices, including smartphones, laptops, vapes, smoke alarms, power tools and toys. “If it makes noise, lights up or connects to the Internet, it likely contains an internal battery and needs to be disposed of with caution,” the Edmonton Fire warning read. EFRS said the best way to prevent fires is to follow these safety steps with lithium-ion batteries: Fire officials said putting batteries and electronics into the garbage is unsafe and can cause fires when they are collected and processed. There have been 24 battery-related fires at waste management facilities in the past two years, according to EFRS. There is no fee to have batteries safely recycled at an Eco Station or designated retailer. “Fire moves fast. From the first sign of a problem, you could have less than a minute to escape a battery fire,” Lallemand said. “The best way to be safe is to prevent a fire from starting.” “Don’t wait, plan ahead,” he added, saying a fire escape plan is also important in the event of a fire. According to EFRS, a lithium-ion battery fire can burn at temperatures greater than 2,000°C and “produce high volumes of toxic smoke” that can quickly fill a room. The energy stored in a lithium-ion battery is almost three times that of an alkaline battery, lasting years longer, EFRS said. “A little bit more on the awareness, making sure we have proper decontamination, making sure we have proper zoning to keep residents and the public safe, and making sure our firefighters are able to get cleaned up and supported afterwards,” Lallemand said, listing the challenges of battling an EV fire. Danger signs of a bad battery include odour, changes in colour or shape, too much heat, leaking and odd noises. In the event of a small electronic fire, such as one involving a cell phone, EFRS says to call 9-1-1 and go outside. For larger batteries, like with an e-bike or e-scooter, EFRS says to leave the building immediately if you see smoke or hear an explosion. They also advise to activate the fire alarm and call 9-1-1. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Nahreman Issa
