shloboe boe
Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]
THE Vella family’s life was irrevocably altered on the night of July 28, 2024, when a devastating fire engulfed their home in Bulawayo’s Suburbs neighbourhood. The blaze, believed to have been sparked by an electrical fault around 11:30 PM, raged through the house, reducing nearly all of their possessions to ashes. Preliminary estimates place the property damage at a staggering US$350 000.
Fortunately, the three occupants in the house — homeowner Ntombizanele Vella, her baby, and the baby’s caretaker — all escaped unhurt by exiting the house through a bedroom window. The tale of how the Vella family lost everything in less than an hour is an all too familiar account of fires that destroyed several homes and businesses in Bulawayo, all caused by what is considered to be one of the safest and most environmentally friendly sources of energy — lithium solar batteries.
After the inferno that destroyed the Vella home in Suburbs, the Bulawayo Fire Brigade concluded that the fire was one of the 32 fires caused by lithium batteries in the city in 2024 alone. The worrisome trend of homes and businesses being torched as a result of exploding lithium batteries is now a cause for concern for the Fire Brigade.
“The City of Bulawayo Fire and Ambulance Services is deeply concerned about the upsurge of property fires involving lithium solar batteries. With the recent power outages and load shedding in the city, and the country in general, residents are resorting to installing solar systems, which are environmentally friendly,” said Fire Brigade chief fire officer Mhlangano Moyo.
“In 2024, the Fire Brigade recorded an upsurge in property fires resulting in serious loss of property caused by exploding lithium-ion solar batteries. The lithium-ion batteries are either overcharged or they overheat, leading to explosions. The explosions caused by the overcharged or overheating batteries’ ferocity and intense heat give the Fire Brigade serious challenges in extinguishing the fires.”
Rooftops laden with solar panels are a common sight in both the eastern and western areas of Bulawayo as residents try to get around the hours-long load shedding regime that the country has been subjected to as a result of factors such as the drought, which depleted water levels at the electricity-generating Lake Kariba.
Last year, the Fire Brigade attended seven fire calls in the city’s central business district, five in the industrial area, and 20 in residential areas such as Suburbs, Hillside, Matsheumhlope, Manningdale, Mahatshula, and others. The common denominator in all the 32 fire calls was explosions of lithium solar batteries, a phenomenon that Moyo attributed to overheating and overcharging.
“The most common causes of lithium batteries exploding are overheating and overcharging. When a lithium battery is overcharged, too much voltage causes it to overheat, leading to explosions and subsequently a breakout of fire. Damaged batteries can also release flammable electrolytes, increasing the risk of a fire. Exposing the batteries to high temperatures can also lead to explosions,” said Moyo.
He gave residents a few safety tips to avoid fires caused by exploding lithium batteries. “Residents must ensure that lithium batteries are managed well when charging and that the changeover switch is working properly. We also recommend frequent inspection of lithium batteries for signs of damage, as well as ensuring that the battery handling and storage areas are dry, cool, well-ventilated, and free from high levels of humidity,” he added.
The Fire Brigade warned residents against buying lithium batteries and accessories from non-reputable companies and manufacturers. It’s also recommended that residents install safety devices such as alarms to alert them when national grid electricity is restored.
When the fire at the Vella home in Suburbs broke out, the family suspected an electrical fault as the cause of the blaze.
“I first saw the lights flickering on and off, then an explosion followed before the fire started. The fire quickly spread in the kitchen and then into the rest of the house,” said the homeowner at the time.
The Fire Brigade is confident in its assessment and investigations that the fire is among the 32 caused by lithium batteries that exploded.
“Understanding that lithium batteries pose a danger when installed incorrectly or not handled properly is important for residents to prevent fires in their homes. For example, the fires in Suburbs, Matsheumhlope, and Pro-Dairy Products premises were all caused by explosions from the lithium solar batteries,” said Moyo.
Lithium-ion batteries, found in many popular consumer products, are also under scrutiny in countries such as the United States following a massive fire last year thought to have been caused by a battery that powered an electric scooter. At least seven people were injured in New York in a fire that required 200 firefighters after a lithium-ion battery of a scooter found on the roof of an apartment building blew up.
