Peterborough residents given lithium battery warning after fire breaks out in Dogsthorpe home

Residents are being warned about the dangers of charging lithium batteries after a fire broke out in a Peterborough home.

Cambridgeshire Police said the blaze, in Dogsthorpe Road, was caused by a lithium battery.

An image of a bike destroyed in the fire has been released by officers.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “We were called to assist our colleagues at Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service with a flat fire in Dogsthorpe Road, Dogsthorpe, on Friday (August 16), which was found to have been started by a lithium battery.

“Fortunately, no one was injured and we were able to get everyone to safety while the fire was put out.

“It is extremely important to be aware of how to safely handle these batteries and regularly test your smoke alarms.”

There have been a number of fires caused by lithium batteries in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire this year.

After a recent spate, Station Commander Gareth Boyd, one of Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service’s community risk managers, said: “These incidents highlight the potential risks that lithium-ion batteries can pose and how it is vital for people to be alert when charging any kind of device. It also shows how important it is to dispose of batteries safely.

“Most devices are supplied with the correct plugs and cables to ensure they are charged safely and don’t take more power than needed, as well as shut-off function when the battery is fully charged. Replacement chargers sometimes don’t have these features and can end up overheating the battery, which causes thermal runaway leading to explosions.”

Gareth urged residents to have a working smoke alarm on each floor of a home, and to test it regularly.

He also spoke of the importance of disposing of all batteries safely, either at a local household waste recycling centre or a battery bank at a local shop. He said Batteries should never be disposed of with household rubbish – there have been a number of incidents of fires in bin lorries caused by batteries.

For more information, visit the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service website at https://www.cambsfire.gov.uk/community-safety/take-charge-and-be-safe/