LAFD pushes for tougher lithium‑ion battery rules as fires surge across Los Angeles
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The Los Angeles Fire Department is sounding the alarm over a dramatic rise in lithium‑ion battery fires, warning city leaders that the problem has outgrown the department’s current resources and now poses a serious threat to both residents and firefighters.
The surge has prompted LAFD to lobby the Los Angeles City Council for new regulations modelled after New York City’s strict certification rules for e‑bikes, scooters, and other battery‑powered devices.
According to an ABC7 “7 On Your Side Investigates” report, Los Angeles now sees an average of 45 lithium‑ion battery fires every week, a number that has climbed sharply as batteries proliferate in everything from phones and laptops to e‑bikes and electric vehicles.
Capt. Richard Thompson, LAFD’s hazmat program manager, told investigators that the department is struggling to keep up. LAFD currently has only one full‑time hazmat team, despite the growing complexity and toxicity of battery‑related incidents. Thompson also confirmed that one firefighter was seriously injured in a recent lithium‑ion battery event and required extended medical leave.
According to the NewsMinimalist, the department experioences an average of 45 such fires weekly. LAFD is lobbying for certified batteries, similar to New York City's e-bike and e-scooter regulations.
Toxic Smoke and Hidden Chemical Dangers
One of the most alarming findings highlighted by LAFD is the presence of hydrogen fluoride in the white smoke produced by lithium‑ion battery fires. Thompson demonstrated to ABC7 the handheld meters firefighters now use at every fire scene to detect the gas, which can turn into hydrofluoric acid when it contacts moisture in the lungs or on the skin.
Scientific analyses cited in additional reporting show that when lithium‑ion cells enter thermal runaway, they can release high concentrations of fluoride gases, posing severe respiratory and skin hazards. Peer‑reviewed studies summarized in Scientific Reports confirm that toxic gas release can be as dangerous as the flames themselves.
LAFD Says It’s Under‑Resourced for the Scale of the Crisis
Behind the scenes, LAFD has been urging city officials to expand hazmat staffing, secure specialized response vehicles, and make temporary grant‑funded positions permanent. The department told the Public Safety Committee that it currently has only one unit meeting required hazmat staffing standards, despite the weekly flood of battery‑related calls.
The department argues that without more personnel and equipment, Los Angeles risks falling behind the rapidly escalating threat posed by battery‑powered devices.
Looking to New York for a Model
New York City’s regulatory overhaul looms large in LAFD’s pitch to lawmakers. After a series of deadly apartment fires linked to uncertified e‑bike batteries, NYC enacted rules requiring all micro mobility devices to use UL‑certified batteries, which undergo rigorous safety testing.
Thompson is now lobbying the Los Angeles City Council to adopt similar standards, arguing that certification requirements would help keep unsafe devices out of circulation and reduce the number of catastrophic fires.
NYC’s program also includes a trade‑in initiative to remove dangerous batteries from the market — a strategy LAFD believes could work in Los Angeles as well.
A Growing Urban Fire Threat
Lithium‑ion battery fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish. Even after flames appear to be out, damaged cells can reignite hours or days later. Firefighters must also contend with the risk of explosions, toxic smoke, and rapid fire spread in dense urban environments.
With battery‑powered devices becoming ubiquitous, LAFD warns that without new regulations and expanded resources, Los Angeles could see even more destructive incidents in the years ahead.
Photo Credit: Li-ion battery cell exploded after hitting it by hammer. Wikipedia Creative Commons License.
To test safety of Li-ion batteries, a 18650 cell was hammered, yielding to an explosion.
Frame from video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iJGWsgaUWY
Date: 27 August 2019
Author: Tavo Romann
Further Reading:
https://hoodline.com/2026/02/battery-blazes-explode-across-la-as-lafd-presses-city-hall-to-act/?