KiddeFenwal showcases BESS fire protection solution

by ActiveBreaking NewsFire DetectionProducts

KiddeFenwal is using two major fire safety events to highlight a multi-layered fire protection approach designed for battery energy storage systems (BESS), as the sector faces increasing scrutiny over the risks associated with lithium-ion battery installations.

The company, which specialises in fire protection and safety controls, presented its BESS-focused technologies at Interschutz and will also showcase it at the NFPA Conference and Expo. The systems are intended to detect early warning signs of fire and support rapid suppression before incidents escalate into thermal runaway events.

BESS are becoming an increasingly important part of global energy infrastructure, particularly as renewable energy deployment grows. However, their use of lithium-ion batteries can present complex fire risks, including overheating, flammable gas build-up and cell-to-cell fire propagation.

KiddeFenwal said its approach brings together several technologies to provide enhanced protection for BESS applications. These include:

REL-iON – a sensor platform that monitors flammable gases, hydrogen, overheating, refrigerant and water leaks, air temperature and humidity changes, and other early signs of corrosion and fire

Air sampling detection designed to provide early warning of smoke at the incipient stage

AEGIS– PHX and ARIES-SLX fire alarm-suppression control units that can trigger immediate suppression action

Fluoro-K – a clean agent designed to reduce temperature, tackle flames at the source and help stop cell-to-cell propagation without leaving harmful residue

NATURA IG-100 – an inert gas system that uses nitrogen to maintain an oxygen-deficient environment that cannot support combustion, helping prevent re-ignition

According to KiddeFenwal, research conducted at the University of Maryland over a multi-year period, alongside controlled fire tests conducted in December 2025, found that the systems were most effective when used together. The company said the combined approach can quickly detect and suppress initial flames, protect equipment and help maintain safer conditions for first responders.

“The full promise of BESS as reliable and sustainable energy solutions can truly be unleashed when protected with highly sophisticated fire systems,” said Rekha Agrawal, CEO of KiddeFenwal. “KiddeFenwal is advancing the pioneering fire prevention, detection and suppression systems needed for today’s most forward-thinking energy storage companies worldwide.”

Britannia Fire calls for lithium-ion battery safety measures

by Featured NewsFire Suppression

Britannia Fire responds to battery fire figures

Britannia Fire has called for greater fire safety around lithium-ion batteries after new figures showed record numbers of e-bike and e-scooter fires attended by fire and rescue services in 2025.

Britannia Fire cited a Press Association investigation which found there were 432 e-bike fires and 147 e-scooter fires attended in 2025, up 38% and 20% on reports from the previous year.

Andy Spence, Managing Director of Britannia Fire, said: “Lithium-ion battery fires are by nature more unpredictable and intense than conventional fires.

“They are harder to extinguish, often behave differently to typical fires and can spread quickly, meaning that standard fire protection measures aren’t always adequate.”

The company linked the figures to the Government’s product safety consultation published at the end of March.

The consultation identifies unsafe e-bike batteries, conversion kits and chargers sourced from online marketplaces as a serious hazard.

It also proposes new duties on producers, suppliers and online marketplaces to improve safety standards in products containing lithium-ion batteries.

The British Standards Institution (BSI) is also developing a fast-tracked Publicly Available Specification (PAS) for batteries used in e-bikes, e-scooters and conversion kits.

Products launched for lithium-ion fire response

Britannia Fire recently launched the P50 AVD fire extinguisher and the AVD fire blanket in response to the rise in lithium-ion battery fires.

The AVD fire blanket is available in three sizes for different battery-powered products.

It is designed to be placed over a device to contain flames, block heat radiation and prevent fire spread.

The P50 AVD fire extinguisher is the newest addition to the company’s P50 composite range.

Britannia Fire said the extinguisher can be discharged under the blanket edge to cool and extinguish the fire and prevent reignition.

The company added that the P50 AVD has a 20 year lifespan, requires servicing once every 10 years and is fully recyclable.

Spence said: “We welcome the Government’s recognition that the current framework needs strengthening, and the focus on online marketplace accountability is long overdue.

“While regulatory reform takes time, lithium-ion fires continue to endanger lives and properties today.

“It’s important for landlords, facilities managers and business owners to consider extra precautions, particularly for locations with charging stations or clusters of battery-powered devices.”

He added: “As a nation we are using many more products and devices containing lithium-ion batteries than ever before.

“It’s vital that we introduce measures to make these products safer at the point of purchase, and it’s also important that fire safety equipment keeps pace with this growing trend, to keep people and property protected.”

Britannia Fire said its AVD products are suited to locations including bike storage areas in residential blocks or offices, IT equipment rooms and office environments, schools, universities and public sector buildings.

SWANA and Fire Rover launch lithium-ion battery safety resource hub

by Americas - Featured NewsFeatured NewsSafety

Fire Rover collaboration with SWANA on battery safety webpage

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has partnered with Fire Rover to launch a webpage focused on battery safety and preventing fires linked to lithium-ion batteries disposed of in waste and recycling streams, as reported by Waste Today.

SWANA said lithium-ion batteries are increasingly common in everyday products and can end up in household trash and recycling bins.

It said batteries can ignite fires in collection vehicles, processing facilities and landfills.

The webpage is described as a resource for fire safety and data collection, with waste and resource management professionals encouraged to report fires that occurred at facilities or in vehicles.

It includes an anonymous reporting feature with fields for incident details, the cause if known and photos.

Webpage tools and reporting fields

Waste Today said the webpage includes a searchable tool to help users find battery drop-off and recycling locations near them.

It also includes educational content and resources focused on battery safety and fire prevention.

The webpage also includes information describing the roles of communities and industry professionals in reducing battery-related fire risks.

SWANA said it will use the reported data and examples to support outreach and advocacy efforts for battery safety.

SWANA CEO Amy Lestition Burke said: “Battery safety has been a top priority for SWANA,

“This new webpage is our latest tool to support our members and the public with preventing battery-related fires.

“We have been hearing from our SWANA Lithium-Ion Battery Workgroup about the need for a centralized database to report battery fires.

“Fire Rover, a corporate partner of SWANA, worked with us to make this a reality.

“We appreciate this productive partnership with Fire Rover.”

Ryan Fogelman of Fire Rover said: “This new webpage reflects the shared mission of SWANA and Fire Rover to protect workers, facilities and the public from the growing risk of fires linked to lithium-ion batteries.

“Preventing battery-caused fires requires education, shared responsibility and access to practical solutions.”

The organisations said the broader partnership also covers data sharing, education and joint programming linked to lithium-ion battery fire hazards.

Storage safety simplified: Insafe explains why “small” batteries can create big fire loads

by Breaking NewsSafety

Simon Arthur, Managing Director at Insafe, outlines lithium-ion failure behaviour, common workplace scenarios and practical implications for risk assessments and response planning

Lithium-ion batteries are now embedded in everyday operations to the extent their presence is rarely questioned.

They power tools, vehicles, medical devices, handheld equipment and energy storage systems across almost every commercial and industrial sector.

What was once a specialist technology has become fundamental to smart working life.

But as their use has expanded, the fire risks associated with battery failure have become increasingly visible.

Simon Arthur, Managing Director at Insafe, highlights how incidents are appearing frequently enough to require structured attention within fire safety planning.

This reflects a wider shift from isolated events to a pattern that cuts across sectors and environments.

At Westminster, parliamentarians have recently met with councils, fire authorities and industry representatives to address the growing number of fires linked to discarded lithium-ion batteries, particularly those entering waste and recycling streams.

These discussions have focused on incident frequency, operational pressures on fire and rescue services, and wider implications for public safety, infrastructure resilience and environmental harm.

That lithium-ion battery fires are being debated at this level reflects the scale of the issue.

It is no longer confined to individual premises or industries but increasingly understood as a systemic risk arising from how batteries are manufactured, used, stored and disposed.

Similar patterns are emerging across commercial and industrial environments.

Fires linked to damaged batteries, informal storage practices or poorly managed charging arrangements are being reported in logistics facilities, manufacturing sites, healthcare settings and education estates.

In many cases, the initial ignition is relatively small, but the subsequent fire behaviour quickly distinguishes these incidents from conventional combustible events.

Thermal runaway can result in rapid heat release, the emission of flammable gases and a persistent risk of re-ignition.

This complicates emergency response and post-incident recovery, particularly in spaces not designed to contain such behaviour.

Fires may appear to be controlled, only to reignite hours later as residual heat within battery cells triggers further reactions.

Operational experience increasingly shows how lithium-ion batteries introduce a fire risk profile that does not align neatly with traditional fire safety assumptions.

The challenge is not only the battery itself, but how its failure modes interact with environments designed around different materials, fuels and fire development patterns.

Understanding how lithium-ion battery fires behave

The behaviour of lithium-ion battery fires under fault conditions underpins much of the concern expressed by fire professionals and regulators.

When a battery cell enters thermal runaway, whether due to mechanical damage, overcharging, manufacturing defects or exposure to elevated temperatures, the reaction can be both intense and sustained.

High temperatures, rapid flame development and the release of flammable and toxic gases are common features.

Once initiated, the process is difficult to interrupt, particularly where multiple cells or batteries are involved.

Heat generated by one failing cell can propagate to adjacent cells, escalating the incident and increasing the overall fire load.

In workplace settings, incidents frequently occur during storage or charging rather than active use.

Batteries may be charged unattended, grouped together in confined spaces or connected to incompatible chargers.

These conditions increase the likelihood early warning signs will be missed, whilst heat and gases will accumulate before detection occurs.

While higher-capacity batteries often attract attention, smaller-format batteries present a comparable hazard when present in sufficient numbers.

A collection of handheld tool batteries stored or charged together can generate a significant fire if failure occurs, particularly where ventilation is limited or combustible materials are nearby.

These characteristics have important implications for prevention and response.

Traditional extinguishing methods may suppress visible flames without addressing the underlying reaction within the battery cells, allowing temperatures to remain high enough for re-ignition.

Water can be effective for cooling, but access, volume and secondary risks must be considered, particularly in occupied or sensitive environments.

As understanding of these behaviours has developed, it has become clear lithium-ion battery fires require specific consideration within fire risk assessments.

Treating them as a variation of conventional combustible risk can leave critical gaps in protection, particularly where batteries are stored or charged close to people, critical assets or escape routes.

From informal practice to engineered protection

For many organisations, battery storage and charging arrangements have evolved informally.

General-purpose metal cabinets, open shelving or improvised charging points were often introduced for convenience, without detailed consideration of how a battery fire might develop within those spaces.

While such arrangements may appear orderly, they offer limited protection once failure occurs.

In some cases, informal solutions can increase risk.

Cabinets not designed to manage heat or gas release may contain a fire briefly, only to fail suddenly as temperatures rise beyond their design limits.

Poorly positioned charging areas may expose escape routes, critical operations or neighbouring occupancies to unnecessary risk.

As incident data and operational experience have increased, battery storage solutions have become more closely aligned with the specific behaviours of lithium-ion battery fires.

Purpose-built cabinets and safes now incorporate layered protection strategies designed to contain heat, manage gas release and provide early warning of developing faults.

Fire-resistant construction materials and non-combustible insulation help limit heat transfer to surrounding areas.

Integrated monitoring and alarm systems can alert occupants to overheating or malfunction before conditions escalate into a full-scale incident.

Independent testing has become a critical part of this progression.

Certification to recognised European standards, including EN 14470-1 for fire-resistant storage cabinets and EN 1363-1 for fire resistance testing, provides validation of performance under defined conditions.

These standards do not eliminate risk, but they offer a consistent, transparent benchmark for assessing how products are expected to perform during a fire.

Fire resistance ratings are necessarily time-limited, but their purpose is to provide crucial time for evacuation, intervention and coordinated response.

For duty holders, insurers and enforcing authorities, independently tested performance offers greater confidence than unverified claims or improvised solutions.

This move towards engineered protection reflects a wider trend in fire safety, where physical controls embedded within the environment support procedural measures.

For lithium-ion batteries, where failure can be sudden and difficult to predict, this combination of engineering and operational discipline is particularly important.

Integrating lithium-ion battery safety into everyday operations

Effective lithium-ion battery fire safety depends on how storage and charging solutions are integrated into daily working practices.

Different environments present different risk profiles, and recognising these distinctions allows organisations to adopt proportionate, technically informed measures.

A facilities team charging handheld tools overnight presents a different scenario to an industrial operation storing higher-capacity batteries for material-handling equipment or energy storage.

In logistics and warehousing environments, charging areas are often located within active operational zones, requiring a balance between accessibility, segregation and containment.

In healthcare or laboratory settings, preventing smoke and toxic gas spread may be the overriding concern, particularly where vulnerable occupants or sensitive equipment are present.

Educational institutions often manage large numbers of smaller batteries across multiple locations, making consistency, supervision and clarity of responsibility essential.

Alongside physical infrastructure, good operational practice remains central to reducing risk.

Routine inspection of batteries for signs of damage, clear identification and control of charging equipment, and defined procedures for handling defective or end-of-life batteries all contribute to lowering the likelihood of incidents.

When these practices are supported by appropriate storage and charging infrastructure, organisations are better positioned to manage lithium-ion battery risks in a controlled and predictable way.

In summary, the increasing focus on lithium-ion battery fires reflects a wider adjustment to changing technologies and energy use.

Electrification, automation and decentralised power systems will continue to reshape fire risk across sectors, requiring fire safety strategies to evolve accordingly.

As a specialist manufacturer and distributor, Insafe supports organisations seeking to embed tested, standards-based lithium-ion battery storage and charging solutions within their wider fire safety strategies.  This is helping to address a risk now recognisedat operational and parliamentary level.

This was originally published in the February 2026 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.

Adapting to high-risk environments: FM’s approach to lithium-ion risk in mission-critical sites

by Featured NewsSafety

Adrian Oxley, Principal Engineer for Semiconductor/ Digital at FM discusses managing risks across unique environments and how to overcome challenges

To begin with, could you introduce yourself, your role and how your work relates to lithium-ion battery risk in mission-critical environments?

My name is Adrian Oxley and I am the Principal Engineer for Semiconductor/ Digital at FM.

I oversee the technical side of our book around data centres.

I am responsible for making sure that our resources, operating standards and the 2,213 field engineers that work throughout the globe have a strong understanding of the data centre industry.

I also have a link between our clients, the Chief Engineers group that I work in and our research department.

When our clients have technically challenges, we help to focus our research on the issue in order to offer mitigation strategies.

Additionally, I work in close collaboration with our underwriting side of the business to make sure that the engineers are providing relevant information.

What are the main causes of battery failure in data centres and telecom infrastructure, and how do these differ from risks seen in other sectors?

It doesn’t matter what industry you are focused on, whether that be data centres or the automotive industry, you need to be aware of the failures associated with lithium-ion batteries and how they can be categorised.

These categories range from manufacturing faults, mechanical damage and electrical abuse.

There are also typical external type events like electrical failures for short circuits and grounds etc.

They can all cause damage to the batteries and therefore risk putting them into thermal runaway.

How does early off-gas detection work in practice and what kind of indicators or thresholds are most relevant for operators to understand?

Off gas detection works when a lithium-ion cell starts to fail and goes into thermal runaway.

The cells begin to off-gas and the off-gas is the product of a chemical reaction that happens within the cell.

Having the ability to detect something going very wrong early on within that cycle is a positive advantage because it allows you to react proactively once you realise the issue is there.

Off-gas detection is focused on very, very small quantities due to the off-gases being around 10 parts per million.

Where does water mist suppression fit into a layered response, and what features make it suited to technical environments with sensitive equipment?

Water mist is one of the tools in our toolbox.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to these systems but overall, water mist allows us to provide effective fire protection.

I think the key thing to get across is that a water mist system must be specified based on how it’s been tested and what it has been approved for.

If you put a water mist system into an environment that it has not been tested or designed for then it’s not going to do what it’s supposed to do.

This means that you have got to be very careful with water mist systems when it comes to the protection of lithium-ion batteries- certainly within a data centre environment, making it sure it has been approved for the application.

Can you explain how detection and suppression can support each other when integrated as a single mitigation strategy?

The detection system must be a part of an overall mitigation strategy because the system on its own is not really going to do anything for us- it won’t put the fire out; it is only able to tell us that there is a problem.

Ultimately, it is from using the signal from that detection system that we can react hopefully before a fire starts.

With off-gas detection for instance, using that signal to cut the power to the chargers for the battery or cut an electrical breaker to stop the power associated with those batteries is going to give us some benefit.

Effectively, we can use the signal from the detection system, whether that be off-gas or smoke detection, to trigger the water system into action.

Water will be released and the system will use the heat of the fire to let water out of the pipework in a pre-action system.

Are there challenges in retrofitting these systems into existing facilities or when aligning them with other safety controls?

The challenge of a data centre environment is that once the environment is operational, the opportunity to go in there and start fitting fire protection systems is very remote.

 An operator would typically not want to do this retrofit.

This is why it is really important to consider the fire protection strategy at the very early concept of a building.

At that point in time, we can design the system properly and take all the building parameters into consideration during the design.

Certainly, when we are looking at data centres we need to be considering things like high velocities of airflow as this can have a significant impact on the detection system.

If there is a high volume of air flowing through the hot or cold containment this can impact the system operation.

You need to consider if it is feasible to fit a water-based system, such as a sprinkler system, into an existing system.

Yes, it is feasible, but it is also very expensive and challenge.

All of these factors need to be taken in consideration.

Operators are far better off incorporating detection systems into the overall design from a very early stage.

It is very difficult to link existing detection systems because they are designed to be holistic.

Are there any common misunderstandings about lithium-ion risk management in mission-critical sites that you think need clarification?

A lot of the time, people talk about the fire hazard associated with lithium-ion- which is a well-known phenomenon.

The data centre industry especially has seen several recent incidents.

In Korea, there was a government wide shut down for a number of days after a lithium-ion battery system was removed from a data system.

There was also a significant incident Singapore which involved an explosion that caused a substantial amount of damage.

I think this is a factor that is underestimated within the industry because many people do not realise that we’re not dealing with a fire hazard- but an explosion hazard, too.

Therefore, I believe that as part and parcel of the strategy of introducing lithium-ion batteries into data centres, additional factors need to be taken into consideration, such as the location of the batteries, the size of the room associated with it and how the room might react to an explosion.

These are all important things that we look at as FM when evaluating a battery system.

How do you see battery technology, regulatory expectations or infrastructure design influencing this topic over the next few years?

I think the industry is really at a crossroads now.

Previously, everyone worked to the UL Standards when it came to getting batteries certified, but we are now seeing the authorities having more influence.

This means that the people who give the occupation certificates to data centres are turning around and saying the tests they have previously done are not sufficient anymore in proving that the system is not going to cause a significant fire or even an explosion.

Really, the way they are coming as it is because firefighters are going into buildings and facing potential injury because of the high-risk environment[AO1.1], potentially caused by the fire and explosion risk present.

A lot of the authorities having jurisdiction now are asking for large scale fire tests to actually prove the performance of the batteries in a real-life scenario.

This uptake in desire for large scale fire testing is changing the regulatory landscape indefinitely.

Battery technology is changing simultaneously; we are seeing different technologies emerging within the industry and it is important to recognise that we cannot rule out that something worse than lithium-ion might be coming along.

Batteries are an important part of data centres, they’re not going to go away, but the application of them must be taken into consideration moving forward.

At FM, our responsibility is to help the industry navigate this moving forward.

This was originally published in the January 2026 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.

The e-mobility safety gap London Fire Brigade wants closed

by Featured NewsSafety

E-mobility fires reach record levels in London

London firefighters attended 206 e-bike and e-scooter fires across the capital in 2025, the highest annual total recorded.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) said two people died in these fires during 2025, taking the total number of fatalities in London from these types of fires to five since 2023.

The incidents ranged in severity, with some leading to injury and destructive damage to homes.

LFB recorded an average of 17 e-bike and e-scooter fires a month in 2025.

Around 83% of the 2025 incidents involved an e-bike, with 171 e-bike fires and 35 e-scooter fires.

The boroughs with the highest number of e-bike and e-scooter fires in 2025 were Lewisham and Southwark with 16 each, followed by Tower Hamlets with 15, Lambeth with 12 and Westminster with 11.

LFB links fires to battery failure and calls for online marketplace regulation

LFB said its investigations show lithium-ion battery failure, conversion kits and chargers are often linked to these fires, with items purchased online that do not meet UK safety standards described as particularly prone to catching fire whether bought new or second-hand.

The brigade said lithium-ion batteries can fail for several reasons including poor build quality, counterfeit components, damage, overcharging and use with an incorrect charger.

The Government introduced the Product Regulation & Metrology (PRAM) Act, which received Royal Assent in summer 2025.

In December 2025, LFB Deputy Commissioner Spencer Sutcliff wrote to the Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection, Kate Dearden MP, urging the Government to bring forward its consultation for secondary legislation under the Act as soon as possible.

Spencer Sutcliff, Deputy Commissioner and Operational Director for Prevention, Protection and Policy, said: “Firefighters are currently attending an e-bike or e-scooter fire every other day, on average.

“Already in 2026, we have seen several fires involving lithium-ion batteries.

“These fires can be explosive and have devastating consequences.

“We’ve been calling for regulation to improve product safety and are thankful for the work already done by the Government to help tackle this issue.

“We look forward to working with the Government on its consultation for secondary legislation, when it is introduced, to help tackle this issue head-on.

“We hope this is done as soon as possible to reduce the number of customers being exposed to dangerous products available for purchase online, and ultimately drive down the number of fires.”

LFB said each of the five people who died in these fires in London did not own the e-bike involved.

The brigade said its #ChargeSafe campaign, launched in 2023, has increased awareness of the risks associated with poorly built e-bike and e-scooter lithium-ion batteries.

Polling carried out on behalf of LFB by YouGov in September 2025 found 67% of respondents felt knowledgeable about the fire risk associated with e-bikes and e-scooters, compared with 43% in April 2023.

LFB said more work is needed to educate about risks among gig economy riders, who use e-bikes and may modify them with conversion kits that may not meet safety standards.

The brigade said it is continuing to call for Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo to do more to share awareness about the risks directly with riders.

LFB also urged local authorities, housing associations, landlords, universities and colleges to help spread awareness, including practical steps such as providing safe storage areas or appropriate charging facilities.

The brigade’s figures and its call for secondary legislation sit alongside ongoing safety messaging through its #ChargeSafe campaign.

Unlocking the potential of BESS: Kentec’s case for standardised, whole-system certification

by Featured NewsFire Detection

By Derrick Hall, Director of Sales & Marketing at Kentec Electronics Ltd and Nick Bartlett, principal engineer and founder of fire protection engineering and consulting firm, ATAR Fire

Battery energy storage solutions (BESS) are an integral part of the world’s sustainability shift, but their inherent fire risk presents developers with a huge challenge.

Because while BESS facilities are being built at pace, the regulations are not keeping up.

Instead, the industry faces a complex jigsaw of rules, recommendations, and best practice across jurisdictions.

We believe that standardised, whole-system certification is the only way to unlock the potential of this emerging market – and to keep people and investments safe.

Challenges and opportunities

The BESS market is expanding at rapidly.

Currently valued at around $7.8 billion globally, the industry is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.9% over the coming years.

The main reason is sustainability.

Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, can be intermittent, and BESS provides a way to store power for use when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.

At the same time, energy security has become a major concern, leading to energy-intensive operations, such as data centres, to adopting BESS technology for backup power during shortages or supply interruptions.

Another driving force is the emerging energy arbitrage market, in which companies purchase electricity during low-cost periods, store it in BESS systems, and sell it back to the grid when prices rise.

The scale of the opportunity, however, is matched by the scale of the fire safety challenge.

Facilities store energy in lithium-ion batteries, which are highly sensitive to temperature and inherently flammable.

 When a battery produces more heat than it can safely disperse, it can enter thermal runaway, a chain reaction that causes temperatures to rise uncontrollably.

Overcharging or system faults can cause the release of flammable gases such as hydrogen.

As they accumulate within a BESS module, they can trigger explosions that emit toxic fumes and hazardous materials.

Prolonged exposure to high heat also accelerates battery degradation, further increasing the likelihood of failure.

With a single BESS installation containing hundreds or even thousands of lithium-ion batteries, a fire that starts in one cell can quickly spread throughout the entire system.

And once they start, these fires are notoriously difficult to control.

Fragmented landscape

The frameworks governing the safe installation and operation of BESS facilities are still catching up with their rapid development, and, across the industry, perceptions of safety and best practice vary widely.

Regulators, consultants, and insurance companies often interpret requirements differently, resulting in a patchwork of approaches that breeds uncertainty.

From product design to installation and operation, everyone appears to have a different perception of safety, and of what is required to protect it.

This has led to hesitation and, in some cases, questionable operational philosophies, including the so-called “let it burn” approach.

The reasoning was straightforward but stark.

Fires that break out in high-voltage containerised battery systems are highly unpredictable.

The safest course for emergency responders, then, may simply be to stand back and allow them to burn themselves out.

Yet while life safety must always come first, “let it burn” not only leaves high value assets in ruins, it also runs counter to the ethos of fire prevention and protection.

Change is starting to happen, but we are not yet there yet.

Thanks to advances in detection, suppression, and explosion-mitigation technologies , we are now seeing far more emphasis on integrated detection and control systems that move the model from containment to prevention.

Yet with every jurisdiction still approaching BESS safety differently, there remains room for confusion.

In the United States, for example, NFPA 855, defines installation requirements for stationary energy storage systems.

UL 9540 and UL 9540A address BESS system certification and thermal runaway and fire propagation characteristics, while UL 2075 governs hydrogen and gas detection.

Each standard serves a specific purpose, but bringing them together into a coherent framework remains a work in progress.

What’s more, even where certification does exist, it can mask inconsistencies.

A system carrying a UL 9540 listing, for instance, is not always verified down to its individual components.

In some cases, testing laboratories perform construction reviews without confirming that every fan, vent, or sensor is independently listed.

As such, a certified container may well be built from unlisted parts.

The same applies to safety systems.

Deflagration vents or extraction fans may be noted in certification documents, but their actual performance and compliance with performance standards such as NFPA 68 or NFPA 69 may never have been validated.

Without tighter oversight, quality can vary significantly between manufacturers and testing laboratories.

The global nature of the BESS market compounds the challenge.

Products are often designed and manufactured in one country and sold across many others.

Greater standardisation has the potential to close these gaps.

A universal framework combining NFPA 855 with UL 9540, UL 9540A, and UL 2075 would streamline expectations, raise the quality baseline for manufacturers, and simplify approval processes for new projects.

NFPA 855 is already gaining traction as an internationally recognised reference standard, but there is still much work to be done.

Another area ripe for improvement is system compatibility.

Under current UL 9540 rules, fire panels and detectors are not typically evaluated for compatibility, even though they must operate as a unified safety system.

Outside of BESS applications, US codes such as the International Fire Code already mandate compatibility, but this principle has not been integrated into energy-storage standards.

The presence of battery management systems, which play a key role in mitigating potential incidents, and their overall integration with other systems, remains inconsistent.

Proactive action

Some manufacturers are proactively bridging the compliance gaps by ensuring all components of their safety solutions are UL-listed.

This whole-system approach represents best practice, even if it’s not yet mandatory.

Kentec, for example, has taken a whole-system certification approach, by ensuring its panels, detectors, and ancillary devices are UL-listed together.

Their integrated BESS fire preventative solution includes a UL 864-approved panel, UL 268-approved smoke detector, and the K-Detect-iON hydrogen sensor, which carries UL 2074 and UL 2075 listings referenced against the panel

K-Detect-iON remains the only UL 2075-listed, calibration-free hydrogen sensor developed specifically for BESS applications, requiring no recalibration for at least 10 years.

And its UL 2075 approval offers authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) and contractors clear evidence of component-level compliance.

It integrates seamlessly with Kentec’s Sigma extinguishant panels, which also meet leading global standards, including EN 54 Parts 2 and 4, EN 12094 Part 1, UL 864 (10th Edition – imminent release following extensive field trials) [Pending UL approval]*, FM Standards, and NFPA 855 Energy Storage Protection.

The offering positions Kentec’s solution as a benchmark for standardised, compliant BESS safety design.

The road ahead

As BESS deployments continue to expand, we need to acknowledge that properly certified, fully compatible systems are not just safer, but also more commercially viable.

Building aligned global standards is essential, and will require collaboration between manufacturers, consultants, code developers, and enforcement authorities, alike.

That won’t happen over night.

But for now, taking a comprehensive approach to compliance, ensuring every component in a system is UL-listed and tested as part of an integrated whole, is the best practice benchmark for risk mitigation, and for future-proof BESS.

This was originally published in the January 2026 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.

UL Research Institutes turns lithium-ion incident data into practical battery safety actions

by Featured NewsResearchSafetyTransport

UL Research Institutes promotes battery safety with Take C.H.A.R.G.E.

UL Research Institutes has launched its Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety guidance on lithium-ion powered devices as holiday technology gifting and travel increase in the US.

The organisation noted that lithium-ion batteries now power smartphones, laptops, e-bikes, electric vehicles, power tools, toys and home energy systems.

According to UL Standards & Engagement, an average of two flights per week experienced lithium-ion battery incidents in 2024.

The data also showed that most travellers carry four lithium-ion battery-powered devices, with smartphones carried by 81% of passengers, laptops by 40%, wireless headphones by 38% and tablets by 35%.

UL Research Institutes reported that 50% of Americans say they do not know anything about lithium-ion batteries.

It added that 60% of travellers remain unaware of how common lithium-ion batteries are in everyday devices and of the dangers linked to damaged, counterfeit or improperly charged products.

The organisation stated that lithium-ion batteries store energy more densely than traditional batteries, and that damaged, overheated or improperly charged units can be at risk of catching fire.

Take C.H.A.R.G.E. campaign on battery safety

UL Research Institutes said the Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety campaign is designed to improve public understanding of lithium-ion risks at home and in transit environments.

Nicole Sanders, Public Education Lead for UL Research Institutes, said: “Recent spikes in lithium-ion battery incidents in transit environments have underscored the need to expand public education.

“To improve public safety, we’ve developed clear guidelines for how to ‘Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety’ at home and on-the-go using best practices informed by response data and firefighter testimonials.”

The organisation explained that the guidance sets out practical steps for handling, charging and storing lithium-ion devices.

It added that the campaign emphasises keeping devices visible when charging, particularly while travelling.

UL Research Institutes also highlighted the need to keep lithium-ion battery-powered devices out of checked luggage.

The campaign frames the Take C.H.A.R.G.E. actions as an interconnected set of measures rather than standalone tips.

Key Take C.H.A.R.G.E. safety messages

UL Research Institutes advised that users should choose lithium-ion battery-powered devices that have been certified by a nationally recognised testing laboratory so they meet defined safety requirements.

The organisation recommended that people follow manufacturer instructions, use the charger supplied with the device, avoid modifying batteries or chargers and charge only in locations away from extreme temperatures, direct sunlight and flammable materials.

It added that devices should never be charged under pillows, blankets or inside bags and that users should unplug devices at home and check size limits set by transit providers before travelling.

UL Research Institutes stated that people should regularly inspect devices for swelling, punctures, unusual sounds such as hissing or popping, excess heat, unfamiliar odours or white or grey wispy smoke, which indicates immediate fire danger.

If these warning signs appear, the organisation said users should unplug the device immediately, stop using it and keep it in sight when travelling or charging.

It advised that lithium-ion battery-powered devices and gifts should not be placed in checked bags.

The organisation said that devices and batteries must not be placed in public rubbish bins or abandoned when travelling and that recycling routes should be used instead.

UL Research Institutes explained that if there is a fire, people at home should follow their escape plan, leave immediately, shut doors behind them and call 9-1-1.

It recommended that people create and practise a home escape plan and, in public spaces such as transit hubs, identify exits and escape routes so they can evacuate quickly and alert authorities if a device shows warning signs.

The organisation stated that people gifting battery-powered devices should share the Take C.H.A.R.G.E. guidance, encourage safe charging and travel practices and remind travel companions to keep devices in carry-on luggage rather than checked bags.

UL Research Institutes noted that the full Take C.H.A.R.G.E. guidance is presented as a set of linked steps which reinforce one another, and that following them can reduce risk in homes and workplaces, with further information available at batteryfiresafety.org.

Why London’s ebike fires could make Black Friday costlier than expected

by Featured NewsSafety

Record ebike fires prompt Black Friday warning

London Fire Brigade has issued a Black Friday warning to shoppers after recording its highest yearly total of e-bike and e-scooter battery fires in London.

The Brigade said firefighters are now attending an average of 18 incidents a month in 2025 where an e-bike or e-scooter battery is the cause.

According to the Brigade, fires involving lithium-ion batteries are fast, produce toxic smoke and can cause extensive damage in a short time.

This year two people have died in fires started by an e-bike in London, taking the total to five since 2023.

The Brigade stated that in all five incidents the person who died did not own the e-bike involved.

London Fire Brigade warned that products bought from online marketplaces can carry a higher fire risk due to weaker controls on batteries, chargers and conversion kits.

By comparison, the Brigade said high street retailers are more likely to sell products with batteries and chargers that comply with UKCA or CE safety standards.

Black Friday focus on ebike fires and unsafe deals

To reach shoppers during one of the busiest retail weeks of the year, the Brigade took its #ChargeSafe campaign into the West End on Tuesday 25 November 2025.

The campaign included an awareness video broadcast on the Piccadilly Lights screen in Piccadilly Circus, which the Brigade described as the largest digital screen in Europe.

Firefighters used the event to speak directly with members of the public, share advice and hand out leaflets on safer charging and purchasing.

London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith said: “We have already tackled a record number of fires this year which have been caused by either an e-bike or e-scooter, we urge Londoners to be careful when purchasing one of these items.

“As we have seen, these fires have devastating consequences – they are fast, explosive, toxic and can be fatal.

“Buying from an online marketplace could significantly increase the risk of fire due to the lack of regulation.

“Without knowing it, you could be purchasing a faulty, damaged or incompatible product and putting yourself, and everyone around you at risk.

“Everyone wants a great Black Friday deal, but please buy e-bikes and e-scooters from reputable retailers where products are more likely to meet UK safety standards.”

The Brigade urged people thinking of buying e-bikes, e-scooters or conversion kits in seasonal sales to prioritise products that meet recognised safety standards.

It warned that short-term savings on unregulated products could lead to property loss, injury or death if a battery fails and starts a fire.

Residents describe impact of home battery fires

London Fire Brigade highlighted several case studies to show the domestic impact of e-bike and e-scooter fires.

One case involved a mother-of-three from Bromley, Jo Frost, whose home of 23 years was destroyed after an e-bike conversion kit bought from a second-hand marketplace failed.

Her 14-year-old son, his friend and the family dog escaped the fire, but the property and its contents were lost.

Jo Frost said: “The e-bike was charging in the front room when it burst into flames, my son and his friend were trapped on the first floor due to the fire spreading up the stairs.

“Thankfully, he had the quick thinking to shut his bedroom door, preventing the fire from spreading to his room.

“In minutes my family lost our home and everything inside due to a fire caused by an e-bike.

“Everything I lost is material, luckily my son Ollie, his friend and the dog are all safe, but we have had to start from scratch.

“I wasn’t aware of the dangers of buying a conversion kit online – or that it wasn’t regulated.

“I hope that hearing my story will warn others of the potential dangers.”

The Brigade said conversion kits can increase fire risk when not installed correctly, particularly if batteries and chargers are bought separately and are incompatible.

It explained that sub-standard or mismatched chargers can lead to overcharging, which raises the chance of a battery going into thermal runaway and igniting.

E-scooter flat fire case shared at campaign event

At the Piccadilly Circus event, London Fire Brigade also shared the experience of London resident Jahmell Campbell, whose first-floor flat was left uninhabitable after an e-scooter fire.

He was at home with his father and grandmother in March when the e-scooter burst into flames.

Campbell said the battery had been charged 45 minutes before the fire and had begun cutting out earlier in the day.

He told the Brigade that he had purchased the device online for £1,200 a year earlier and had not previously experienced problems.

Jahmell said: “It was like a grenade had been thrown into the flat.

“The e-scooter had been charged 45 mins before the fire.

“I bought the device a year ago online for £1200 and never had any trouble.

“The only complication I had was on the day of the fire when the battery kept cutting out.

“I jumped out of the front first floor flat window to escape.

“My dad and my grandma escaped via the back of the property.

“I would never get another e-scooter. No chance!

“I am not sure how we all made it out of the house alive.

“My dad had bad nightmares after the incident.

“I hope London Fire Brigade’s Piccadilly Lights event raises much more awareness.”

The Brigade said the incident showed how quickly an internal wall structure can fail under intense heat from a battery fire.

According to the Brigade, the flat was completely destroyed, leaving the household displaced.

Campaign partnerships and regulatory changes on e-bike safety

London Fire Brigade said the #ChargeSafe campaign was launched in April 2023 after the death of Sofia Duarte, the first Londoner to die in an e-bike fire.

The Brigade reported that incidents have continued to rise since the campaign launch, with this year recording the highest number of e-bike and e-scooter fires to date.

To reach people at the point of purchase, London Fire Brigade has partnered with Amazon so that #ChargeSafe safety advice can be shared with customers when they buy relevant products.

The Brigade has also worked with Trading Standards and delivery company Deliveroo to extend messaging to people who use e-bikes and e-scooters for work.

London Fire Brigade said it supported the Government during development of the Product Regulation and Meteorology Act, which passed earlier in 2025.

Once implemented, the Act is expected to regulate the sale of poor-quality e-bikes, e-scooters, batteries and chargers through tighter product rules.

Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor for the Fire Service, said: “E-bikes are top of the wish list for many people shopping in the sales, in the run up to Christmas, but buying online can come with risks.

“In London we’ve seen a record number of e-bike and e-scooter fires this year – with most taking place in people’s homes.

“I urge Londoners to think twice about buying an e-bike or conversion kit from online marketplaces and encourage them to shop with reputable retailers – if it seems too good to be true it probably is and could be extremely dangerous.

“The Mayor and I will continue to support the work of the London Fire Brigade and partners to improve e-bike safety, strengthen regulation and raise awareness of the dangers, as we build a safer London for everyone.”

London Fire Brigade said it will continue to use community events and partnerships to share practical charging and storage advice and to press for tighter controls on unsafe products.

How rising ebike fires affect safety practice

Rising e-bike and e-scooter fire numbers in London provide operational data for fire and rescue chiefs and senior officers when planning prevention campaigns, incident response and resource allocation for high-density housing.

The concentration of incidents in homes gives fire safety officers, risk assessors and building services engineers further evidence for reviewing guidance on charging locations, escape routes and domestic fire detection.

The focus on online marketplaces and unregulated conversion kits is relevant to government departments, standards and certification bodies and Trading Standards teams that oversee the Product Regulation and Meteorology Act and related enforcement activity.

Partnerships with retailers and delivery platforms show emergency and disaster response managers and training officers how targeted advice at the point of sale and in high-use sectors can support behaviour change.

The experiences shared by affected residents may inform training content for firefighters and community safety teams by illustrating real-world fire development, smoke spread and escape challenges in battery-related incidents.