Toronto Fire warns of surge in lithium-ion battery fires after latest incident injures four
Three fires in 24 hours prompt fire chief to push province and feds for stricter regulations on e-bikes and e-scooters.
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Update — August 13, 2026: Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop is calling for stricter regulations on lithium-ion batteries after the city recorded 81 fires involving the devices as of Thursday, August 13, with one death and 15 injuries, representing a 200 percent increase since 2022. The majority of fires involve unregulated and uncertified batteries on micro-mobility devices like e-bikes and electric scooters, with no Canadian standard that these batteries must meet. Mayor Olivia Chow has joined the call for federal and provincial governments to regulate battery imports and update fire and building codes.
Four people were injured early Wednesday in a fire at 291 George St. in downtown Toronto involving lithium-ion batteries — the third such fire in as many days, prompting Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop to call for urgent regulatory action.
The fire just before 6 a.m. Wednesday came after at least two battery-related fires on Tuesday. The unit where Wednesday's fire started contained six micro-mobility devices like e-bikes and e-scooters, the primary culprits in the surge.
Toronto has seen 80 lithium-ion battery fires so far this year, resulting in 14 injuries and one death, according to Toronto Fire Services. The annual count has risen roughly tenfold in five years — from nine incidents in 2021 to 91 in 2025. One person has died every year since 2023 in this type of fire.
"Since 2022, we have seen an absolutely exponential growth in the number of these types of fires," Jessop said Toronto. "Entire rooms can become deadly within a matter of seconds and the burning batteries emit extremely harmful toxins."
Jessop said Toronto Fire has very limited tools to address the problem because Ontario's fire code hasn't kept pace with the technology. He wants the provincial and federal governments to move faster on regulations — Health Canada is considering proposals, and the Ontario Fire Marshal is reviewing potential changes to the provincial fire code.
Though Jessop opposes an outright ban on lithium-ion batteries, he's pushing for guardrails: stricter storage limits, rules on how many devices can be kept in a unit, and mandatory safety requirements.
"We don't want to rush because that's when you get bad regulations," Jessop said. "But at the same time this cannot continue for years and years of consultation."
What specific storage limits or device caps does Toronto Fire recommend for residential units?
When does Health Canada expect to finalize its proposed regulations for lithium-ion batteries?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How many lithium-ion battery fires has Toronto had this year?
Toronto has experienced 80 lithium-ion battery fires so far in 2026, resulting in 14 injuries and one death.
How much have these fires increased over the past five years?
Lithium-ion battery fires in Toronto have risen roughly tenfold in five years, from nine incidents in 2021 to 91 in 2025.
What does Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop want regulated?
Fire Chief Jessop is pushing for stricter storage limits, rules on how many devices can be kept in a unit, and mandatory safety requirements for lithium-ion batteries.
