Firefighters are concerned the number of residential blazes being triggered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries will "increase considerably" over coming years, as devices like electric scooters become more popular.
There were 46 fires ignited by the common type of batteries in Queensland during the last financial year.
This is the first time statistics specifically listing them as the cause of a blaze have been kept, after Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) crews noticed it becoming more common.
Superintendent Mark Halverson, executive manager of QFES's safety section, said the number is "increasing rapidly".
"With the proliferation of devices that now are powered by lithium-ion batteries, that number is likely to increase considerably in the coming years," he said.
There were two fatal fires in Brisbane and Logan this year, believed to have been caused by a charging battery.
In March, a 22-year-old man was killed when a fire erupted in the caravan he and his pregnant partner were in, while in April a six-year-old boy was killed in an intense house blaze.
However, Queensland police said investigations into both fires were still continuing, with reports being prepared for the Coroner.
It is a timely warning for people to learn the dangers of lithium-ion batteries, and how to avoid potential disaster.
Where are lithium-ion batteries used?
Lithium-ion batteries can be found in almost every battery-powered domestic item, from our mobile phones, laptops, tablets, electric shavers to larger devices like tools, e-scooters and e-bikes.
Ruth Knibbe, a researcher at the University of Queensland's School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, said while the technology should be manufactured to not cause fires, a lot of cheaper devices have flooded the market.
"I don't want people to be alarmed ... this is new technology that's coming out and there will be more safety put in place to ensure we don't get these kinds of issues," she said.
"The fires predominantly occur when your battery is charging.
"As consumers, we don't know the chemistry of the battery, we don't know the quality of the manufacturing that's occurred, we don't know the quality of the battery-management system, so there's a lot of uncertainties that we have.
"We say if you've got an issue, just don't use it anymore."
Why do fires occur?
Superintendent Halverson said "typically" fires are caused by human error.
"In as much as not understanding what the dangers are, which is the key point," he said.
It is vital each device only ever be connected to the correct charger, Superintendent Halverson said.
"People just need to be aware they need to be really vigilant when they're charging lithium-ion batteries, they shouldn't ever be overcharged, they should in fact be disconnected from the charge when it's reached maximum charge," he said.
"Overcharging can occur, overheating can occur and in that instance the lithium-ion batteries becomes extremely dangerous and very susceptible to at least toxic odour emissions or indeed small fire, or catastrophic fire in extreme circumstances."
Dr Knibbe said heat is also bad for the battery.
"I do expect over the summer that we might get more battery explosions because of that combination of heat and charging," she said.
What can be done to avoid risk?
Superintendent Halverson said it is best to charge larger devices outside the home, and both the battery and device should never be left in direct sunlight, or in an area where they can overheat.
"And certainly not in an area that's immediately adjacent to combustibles like clothes, sheets, blankets, et cetera," he said.
He said batteries that have been damaged in any way pose a greater risk.
Superintendent Halverson said people should also take care when disposing of batteries, whether because they have reached their use-by date or they have been damaged.
"Firstly, they can be taken to the local resource recovery centre. Secondly, there are dedicated battery-recycle places, and thirdly there are some of the larger retailers in hardware and the like who do take those sorts of batteries and dispose of them properly," he said.
"I would certainly caution 100 per cent against ever throwing one of those types of batteries into the wheelie bin.
"Obviously, in the wheelie bin they're subject to being thrown around, and damage is extremely likely to occur, which is a recipe for that lithium battery to either explode or cause a significant fire."
Brisbane City Council said over the past three years there had been 28 known instances of garbage trucks having to dump their loads onto the street after catching fire, however the cause of these fires cannot always be determined.
"Residents should treat batteries as hazardous waste and there are many places to get rid of them for free, including council's four resource recovery centres," a spokeswoman said.
What to do in the case of a potential fire?
Superintendent Halverson said any signs of problems with batteries should be treated seriously.
If there is a sign of fire or an odour coming from the device or battery, if possible, turn the power off immediately.
Do not use water or other methods to put the fire out.
"Warn everybody in the house, and remove yourself from the house, because not only do you have the threat of fire, but the toxic fumes can also be extremely dangerous to humans and then of course call triple-0 immediately," Superintendent Halverson said.
Why are lithium-ion batteries so popular, given the potential danger?
Dr Knibbe said they are so commonly used "because of the high energy and the relatively high power you can get from them".
"At the moment lithium-ion batteries will be around for a long time, especially for portable devices, because it's lightweight," she said.
Researchers at the University of Queensland are among teams around the world trying to develop a "faster-charging and more sustainable" aluminium-ion battery alternative.
Xiaodan Huang, who is an advanced Queensland research fellow from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), said traditional lithium-ion batteries are not only potentially dangerous but also require the extraction of rare earth materials using large amounts of water.
"Aluminium-ion batteries consist of non-flammable components including aluminium metal, graphene and aluminium salts, making them safer than lithium-ion batteries," Dr Huang said.
"Testing has also shown that rechargeable graphene aluminium-ion batteries charge up to 70 times faster, last up to three times longer; are rechargeable for a larger number of cycles without deteriorating performance; and are easier to recycle than current leading lithium-ion batteries."
Under a research agreement with UQ and AIBN, a Brisbane-based group will manufacture the battery prototypes, for use in watches, phones, laptops, electric vehicles and grid storage.
