Demonstrating Li-Ion Battery Safety Risks to Firefighters in India

As electric vehicles (EVs) increase in India, so does the need for addressing potential safety risks. At the recent Fire & Security India Expo in Mumbai on Aug. 24-25, the Electrochemical Safety Research Institute (ESRI), part of UL Research Institutes, co-led a demonstration that brought to life how lithium-ion battery fires can reignite even after being initially extinguished.

Together with the Maharashtra Fire Services, ESRI post-doctoral researcher Dr. Byoungchul Kwon and UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) senior standards specialist Richie Stephen set up a safe demonstration area where an EV battery was triggered to go into thermal runaway and experience a fire. The fire was extinguished but restarted — a common safety issue with lithium-ion battery fires. The demo was designed to assist the fire services with updating their fire mitigation guidelines.

The sixth Fire & Security India Expo was conducted by the Fire & Security Association of India and Nova Exhibitions and Conferences. The annual expo brings together experts, architects, building engineers, oil and gas industry representatives, members of leading security and fire prevention bodies, and other stakeholders on the topics of fire, safety, and security.

View the demonstration