FOI Request 2314

Subject: Lithium Battery Fires

Status: Complete

Date received: March 2026


Question Asked:

Please could I request data from 2016-2025, or the earliest year after 2016 data is available from for the following:

  • Total number of domestic property fires

  • Number of those fires where the ignition source was a lithium battery

  • Number of those fires linked to specific device types (if recorded)


Our Response:

Please find below the data requested regarding fires in dwellings between 1st January 2016 and 31st December 2025 with a source of ignition provided.

Currently, the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service Incident Recording System (IRS) has insufficient facilities for the comprehensive recording, and subsequent analysis, of fires involving lithium batteries. Therefore, due to the specific information asked for, CFRS cannot provide the data requested for Point 2

Ignition Source

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Total

Cooker incl. oven

152

124

121

105

104

90

112

98

85

92

1083

Wiring, cabling, plugs

55

45

53

42

46

37

41

36

41

37

433

Smoking materials

24

25

31

27

28

21

28

29

14

17

244

Lighted paper or card, or other naked flame

30

19

29

28

21

18

19

17

10

17

208

Grill / Toaster

24

21

32

12

19

10

16

14

19

18

185

Tumble dryer

13

19

8

12

7

16

9

7

15

15

121

Candles

11

13

15

9

17

15

6

11

12

8

117

Heating / Fire

21

14

10

15

8

6

17

7

13

6

117

Spread from secondary fire

8

15

13

12

14

8

12

5

8

17

112

Apparatus  - batteries, generators

4

7

7

7

8

6

11

13

9

11

83

Microwave oven

12

10

4

4

7

7

7

4

7

8

70

Cigarette lighter

6

6

5

8

10

5

7

7

9

4

67

Liquids; petrol / oil related

2

11

8

8

8

7

2

7

2

3

58

Matches

13

9

6

7

6

4

7

3

1

1

57

Washing machine

7

7

7

9

6

2

1

6

2

8

55

Natural occurrence

5

6

2

3

10

7

7

2

2

3

47

Other cooking appliance

3

6

4

4

2

7

2

5

6

6

45

Dishwasher

8

8

5

3

2

5

3

2

4

2

42

Other heating equipment

4

4

4

4

2

2

3

4

5

6

38

Fridge / Freezer

7

3

2

3

5

4

4

3

1

5

37

Not known

7

7

4

0

3

3

3

4

4

1

36

Other domestic style appliance

2

1

6

3

3

3

3

3

7

3

34

Solids; coal, coke, wood, card

6

0

3

2

5

4

4

5

2

2

33

Chimney

4

3

6

3

1

4

3

0

1

6

31

Deep fat fryer

6

2

1

0

7

1

5

3

3

1

29

Central heating / Hot water

5

3

4

4

2

2

1

1

3

3

28

Other appliance or equipment

2

5

2

2

7

1

2

4

2

1

28

Other lights

1

5

2

2

4

4

5

4

0

1

28

Spot lights

2

2

7

2

5

1

3

4

1

0

27

Battery charger

2

2

1

0

1

4

3

3

3

4

23

Other

1

0

5

2

3

0

0

2

5

4

22

Spin dryer

3

4

1

3

1

2

1

1

0

5

21

Extractor fan

3

2

3

2

1

1

1

2

3

3

21

Blow lamp / Paint remover

2

2

2

3

1

2

1

2

0

2

17

Fireworks

2

5

2

1

3

2

1

0

0

1

17

Ring / Hot plate (separate appliance)

0

2

0

1

3

5

1

3

1

0

16

Other incandescent light bulbs

5

2

0

2

1

0

0

1

3

0

14

Barbeque

1

0

3

0

4

0

2

0

1

0

11

Welding / Cutting equipment

2

0

1

1

0

3

1

0

2

1

11

Oil / Incense burners

0

1

2

2

1

1

1

1

0

1

10

Washer / Dryer combined

3

1

0

2

0

1

1

1

1

0

10

Hair dryer

0

3

1

1

0

0

0

2

2

0

9

Gases

1

0

1

1

1

1

0

1

2

0

8

Flammable chemicals

1

2

3

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

8

Incendiary device

0

1

0

1

3

0

2

0

1

0

8

Iron

0

1

1

3

0

0

0

2

0

1

8

TV

2

0

0

1

1

1

0

0

1

0

6

Fairy lights

0

0

0

1

2

0

0

0

1

1

5

Audio equipment

1

0

0

0

0

2

1

0

1

0

5

Other electrical visual equipment

2

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

4

Vacuum cleaner

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

0

1

4

Electric blanket

1

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

4

Dryer

0

1

1

0

0

0

1

0

1

0

4

Camping stove

1

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

Video / DVD

0

2

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

Heating equipment power source

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

2

Electric kettle

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

2

Gardening equipment

0

0

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

2

Fluorescent lights

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

2

Bomb / Explosives

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

Separate water heating

0

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

2

PC equipment (domestic use)

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

2

PC

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

Vehicle electrical fault

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

Engine, fuel line or pump

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

Other computer equipment

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

Patio equipment

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

Total

479

432

433

372

399

326

366

333

316

328

3784


Outcome: Partial Data Held

FOI responded to within timescales: YES

Further action: NO


Back to FOI requests


Last updated: Tuesday, 24 March 2026


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