Date of Request
September 23
Request
Dear Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service,
As a freedom of information request, please provide data regarding the number of lithium battery related fires you have recorded. Specifically, please provide:
– Annual totals for the years 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and so far in 2023
– Those annual totals split by the type of lithium device involved (such as e-bike, e-cigarette, e-scooter).
– Those annual totals split by the number of related injuries or fatalities
Please provide such data electronically, ideally as a spreadsheet.
Yours faithfully,
X
Response
Dear X,
Thank you for your request for incident information which has been received by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (the Service) and considered under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.
The Service does not record “E-bike” or “E-scooter” or “Lithium ion” on our incident reports. As a result this analysis has been done on the Narrative log which is a transcription of the conversation which takes place between the Incident Commander and Fire Control during an incident.
The following was used as search criteria: e-scooter, e scooter, escooter, electronic scooter, electric scooter, scooter, e-bike, e bike, ebike, electronic bike and electric bike, Li, Li-ion, Li ion and Lithium, e-cigarette, e cigarette and ecigarette.
Each year is a calendar year apart from 2023 which is January 1st – July 31st 2023.
There were no incidents for e-cigarette, e cigarette and ecigarette.
The incidents were analysed to check if they were relevant and the attached file contains the tables produced.
If you have any questions regarding your request, please contact Information Governance and Committee Services on tel: 0345 122 4454 or by e-mail informationrequests@hwfire.org.uk In any such communication please include the reference number assigned (see above).
Should you have any queries regarding the management of your request and wish to make either a complaint or request a review of the information disclosed to you, please do so by using Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service’s complaints system: Comments and Complaints. This must be done within 40 working days of our response to your request. After this date and in line with ICO guidance the Service is not obliged to provide an internal review of your request.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you may appeal the decision by contacting the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF, Tel: 0303 123 1113 (alternatively 01625 545745) or E-mail: casework@ico.org.uk
Further information on Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service may be viewed at the Service’s website: www.hwfire.org.uk
Thank you for your request for information.