Overland Park fire chiefs warn of rising lithium‑battery and EV fire risks

At a May 14 meeting of the Overland Park Public Safety Committee, the city’s fire officials described an emerging local trend of fast‑moving fires caused by lithium‑ion batteries in devices ranging from hoverboards and scooters to electric vehicles and home “power walls.” Fire Chief Alan Moore and Chief Andrew Froe said the incidents create new hazards for first responders and residents and urged changes in how batteries and charging devices are stored and charged.

The discussion followed a May 11 structure fire at 117th and Craig that Moore said investigators determined was caused by “a lithium ion battery and a charger that was in a charging state with a hoverboard.” Moore told the committee that the department also assisted neighboring agencies on several multi‑alarm and support calls in the region.

Chief Andrew Froe framed the presentation as an “emerging trend in the fire service” and described how lithium‑ion cells can enter thermal runaway — a cascading failure in which one overheated cell causes adjacent cells to ignite. “Once 1 goes, multiple go, more go, it is a domino effect that just … cascades into a very bad incident,” Froe said.

Froe outlined specific hazards and responses: electric vehicles can carry high voltages (commonly 400–800 volts, and sometimes higher), creating shock and arc‑flash risks; batteries can fail from mechanical damage, aging or improper charging; and fires involving EVs or battery banks can burn for hours despite continuous water application. He showed an EV safety plug the department uses to stop vehicle movement by making the vehicle’s charging system report a charging state, and described large fire blankets used to protect parking structures and neighboring vehicles.

The department is also using a bead‑based containment system (described in the meeting as “cellbot” glass beads) and transport canisters to move thermally damaged batteries safely to a staging or disposal site. Froe said the department is working with EPA regional hazmat teams and other agencies to develop best practices after learning from incidents on the West Coast and cited a Johnson County household hazardous waste program that accepts damaged batteries for proper disposal.

Froe urged residents to prefer original equipment manufacturer (OEM) batteries and recommended chargers, to avoid storing charging mobility devices inside sleeping areas, and to place large battery devices in garages or other fire‑rated areas when possible. “These lithium batteries do not store them in your house,” Froe said, urging, “have your smoke detectors that are working and that you check twice a year.”

Committee members asked whether older homes and garages provide the same protection as newer construction; Froe responded that codes and construction have changed over time but reiterated the practical advice to keep charging devices away from primary living and egress paths. The committee encouraged the fire department to expand public communications about safe charging and storage practices; Froe said the department recently gave a media interview and planned additional outreach.

The department also noted training and equipment changes: high‑rise ventilation training at a local campus this month and procurement of blankets, containment beads and EV safety plugs for rescue engines and battalion vehicles. Froe described a recent regional incident in Kansas City, Kansas, that involved more than 3,000 small lithium cells at a home battery‑building operation and said the department is collaborating with regional partners to adapt protocols.

The presentation was an information item; no formal committee vote was taken on the subject. Committee members directed staff to pursue public‑education efforts and continue regional coordination on response protocols.