The number of fires caused every day by lithium batteries continues to escalate yet very few people have any kind of fire protection or ways to deal with a lithium battery fire.
The pioneering Li-Guard range of fire blankets is a fast and easy way to quickly smother a lithium battery fire ranging from small everyday electronic devices such as mobile phones, iPads and laptops through to e-scooters and e-bikes right up to cars.
When lithium batteries overheat or are damaged they go into thermal runaway and when this happens one cell in a battery can produce enough heat – up to 900°C (1652°F) – to cause adjacent cells to overheat and to put that into context a typical camp fire burns at 650°C.
The heat generated by chemical reactions inside the battery during thermal runaway causes even more heat, leading to a continuous rise in temperature. This can result in the battery venting and releasing toxic flammable gases, catching fire or even exploding and, because they burn at such a high temperature, they are very difficult if not impossible to put out using conventional fire extinguishers.
That’s why Li-Guard is now leading the way with a comprehensive range of non-combustible fire limitation lithium battery blankets coated with mineral-coated vermiculite that blocks oxygen, gives instant cooling and provides thermal insulation to smother the fire and prevent it from reigniting.
This helps to control the fire, suppress the flames and prevent it from spreading until firefighters arrive.
The sheer intensity of a lithium battery fire would destroy a conventional fire blanket but the beauty of Li-Guard fire blankets is that they can be use for both conventional fires, such as oil catching fire in a kitchen pan, as well as lithium battery fires.
Environmental Defence Systems Ltd is Li-Guard’s sole distributor in the UK and its special projects manager Jessica Bailey says: “People only tend to think of fire blankets in kitchens but the extensive Li-Guard range of blankets can be used to smother lithium battery fires on everything from e-scooters and e-bikes to hospital equipment.
“The blankets come in a range of sizes and are quick and easy to deploy – simply throw them over the overheating, smouldering or burning device to mitigate, fire, heat and smoke.
“Restaurants have fire blankets for cooking but most have none for lithium batteries even though a lot of utensils such as mixers are now powered by lithium batteries.
“All restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars should replace their old conventional fire blankets with Li-Guard ones as they solve all kitchen fires, including lithium ones and that peace of mind is priceless. Anyone who invests in a Li Guard blanket will have a far superior blanket to the one they have now - a typical normal fire blanket would simply break down in the severe heat of a battery in thermal runaway.’’
Li-Guard blankets are also being sold in hospitals as a lot of equipment such as insulin and morphine pumps are now powered by lithium-ion batteries which make them far more portable and manoeuvrable but the danger is batteries could be damaged if dropped as the pumps are often moved around and even to patients’ home. If the devices fall over, the batteries could get damaged and cause a fire so it’s vital to have a blanket nearby.
Industrial settings include lithium-powered trolleys used to move stock around and if they catch fire the blaze would probably quickly spread to racking, potentially destroying the entire building. One company that trades in fabrics on a huge scale bought 10 new lithium-powered trolleys and also bought 10 blankets to strategically place around the warehouse.
Larger blankets measuring 7.5m by 3m have been specifically designed for forklift trucks powered by lithium batteries.
Jessica adds: “Far too many companies simply don’t have any solutions to deal with a lithium battery fire which is really worrying.’’
A fire in a vape shop in Glasgow in March 2026 quickly spread causing extensive damage to a historic building and forcing Glasgow central railway station to close for several days.
So vape shops, garages which store car batteries, DIY outlets that store lithium-ion batteries for tools to hire all need Li-Guard fire blankets. Also public places such as railway stations, high rise buildings, recycling and waste management centres, bus stations, universities, schools, public buildings, ships, trains and buses should all have them for instant fire protection in a lithium battery emergency.
Insurance companies are increasingly introducing safety requirement for the use of lithium-ion batteries and Li-Guard blankets can support compliance with safety standards.
Li-Guard lithium battery fire mitigation blankets are double stitched with steel yarn. Although they come in a range of standard sizes, they can be made to any size and be sold with gloves and a visor as a pack.
They are DIN Spec 91489:2024-11 compliant and fire classification compliant to DIN 13501-1 A1 (non-combustible).
The blankets are stored in red wall-mounted pouches to protect them from moisture, dust and dirt while giving them immediate access in an emergency – one quick pull and you’re in action.
The Li-Guard motto is Protection Starts With Prevention.
The question is are you protected from lithium battery fires?
For more information contact Jessica Bailey from Environmental Defence Systems Ltd by phone on 07946 800348 or email jessica@edslimited.co.uk
