Three minutes. That’s roughly how long you and your loved ones have to escape a burning house today.
Back in the 1980s, that number was 17 minutes.
So why has survival time gone down so dramatically?
One key factor is widespread use of synthetic materials in products from furniture to carpeting to clothing. Man-made fabrics are lighter, cheaper, and easier to clean, but polyester and plastic can reach flashover — the point at which fire spreads rapidly through a space — six times as fast as cotton and wood.
The Rise of Lithium-Ion Battery Fires
Another dangerous change is more products with batteries and the rapid adoption of lithium-ion batteries, which pack more power and charge more quickly than batteries of the 1980s. Unfortunately, they are subject to thermal runaway — an uncontrollable, self-heating state that is difficult to extinguish. These batteries can catch fire or even explode, and spark violent, fast-moving fires that dramatically reduce survival time.
Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are faster and more aggressive than other fires, and they can reduce the estimated three minutes to escape a fire to just seconds. Testing conducted by the Fire Safety Research Institute shows an e-scooter catching fire in a bedroom led to total engulfment in less than 30 seconds.
Consumers may be familiar with lithium-ion batteries from warnings that they are not allowed in checked airline baggage and restricted by size even in carry-ons. Southwest Airlines recently became the first U.S. carrier to require that lithium-ion batteries remain in plain sight while in use. Last year, lithium-ion battery fires on U.S. flights occurred nearly twice a week. This January, a faulty power bank was believed to be the source of a fire that consumed a passenger jet waiting for takeoff in South Korea.
Everyday Devices, Unexpected Fire Hazards
What most consumers don’t know is how many lithium-ion batteries they have and how dangerous they can be at home — not just on airplanes. As you read this article, you’re likely surrounded by lithium-ion batteries powering everything from your cell phone to your laptop computer, vacuum cleaner, or electric toothbrush. My two boys have a pile of toys powered by lithium-ion batteries: drones, a playhouse, an arcade machine, and even their new pool table. Maybe you have a lithium-ion electric vehicle in your garage. Ironically, there might even be a lithium-ion battery in your smoke alarm.
Each of these items poses a fire hazard if not manufactured and used properly. A Florida man was airlifted to a hospital after the lithium-ion battery in a robotic vacuum cleaner exploded at his home last year. The year before, a disposable e-cigarette with a lithium-ion battery exploded in front of an infant while charging. E-scooters and e-bikes powered by lithium-ion batteries are highly popular, but have caused catastrophic fires when stored in a home or apartment, especially when they block the exit.
Fire Moves Faster Than Ever
Modern homes may feel safer, but when it comes to fire, the danger is moving faster than ever. A combination of synthetic materials, open layouts, and powerful new devices has drastically reduced the time families have to react — turning what used to be minutes into mere seconds.
7x
faster — that’s how quickly modern home fires spread compared to those 40 years ago.
3 min
is the average time people have to escape a house fire today — down from 17 minutes in the 1980s.
30 sec
is all it took for an e-scooter battery fire to fully engulf a bedroom in testing.
Preventing Fires Through Smarter Design
UL Standards & Engagement is no stranger to evolving fire threats. For centuries, candles, cooking, and lanterns were among the leading causes. As technology advanced, gas lighting created another risk. Our predecessor, Underwriters Laboratories, was founded in 1893 in response to the rapid spread of electricity and the fire threat it brought to homes and businesses. Our early standards made sure insulation on wiring wasn’t flammable, that switches wouldn’t spark a fire, and that transformers for electric toy trains were safe.
Over the years, ULSE has set a wide range of fire-related safety standards and promoted designs, materials, and products that can prevent, detect, and suppress fires.
The aim isn’t to limit or, worse, ban useful new technology, but to make it safe. Today, we are working to spread the word about the changing risk of fire and how new technology can introduce new hazards. And it’s working: There were 14 deaths from e-mobility fires in New York City alone in the first nine months of 2023, but only three in the same period in 2024 after the city required e-bikes and e-scooters to comply with ULSE standards.
While lithium-ion batteries offer significant benefits in powering modern technology, they also present serious safety hazards that must be carefully managed — and as technology evolves, new risks will continue to emerge.
No matter what’s next, safety starts with smart design. The more manufacturers can bake safety into design and have products certified to applicable standards, the safer we’ll all be. Government, industry, and consumers are all important stakeholders that can help us make products safer.
What You Can Do to Help Stay Safe
But the ultimate responsibility — and risk — is at home. Consumers need to know that many of today’s rechargeable products are powered by lithium-ion batteries, and they should look to purchase products that conform to safety standards, and use them carefully.
Fire risks are changing. Knowing — and reducing — those risks will save lives. If you’re an average reader, it took about three minutes to skim this article. That’s not long, but it’s all the time you’ll have if a fire strikes your home.
