Latest figures show a battery bursts into flames in Toronto every 3 days on average

Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop announced on Thursday morning that the number of battery-related fires in the city has climbed to 81 following yet another blaze the previous day. 

At the current rate, a battery bursts into flames in Toronto at an average rate of once every 2.77 days, a figure that should give everyone with a lithium-ion battery-powered device pause.

Jessop has been front and centre in local headlines for the past few weeks as battery-related fires increase dramatically across Toronto. And, with these power sources increasingly prevalent in local homes, the alarming statistics are cause for concern.

As of Thursday, we are now 225 days into the year, during which time 81 battery fires have been recorded, for a rate of one battery bursting into flames every 2.77 days

Another day, another Lithium Ion Battery fire in #Toronto. We are now up to 81. pic.twitter.com/b8U5oWD4oF

— Jim Jessop (@ChiefJessopTFS) August 13, 2026

The latest figure comes only a few days after the figure climbed to a staggering 77 battery fires by Monday, which Jessop stated included over 50 incidents linked specifically to lithium-ion batteries. 

That number shot to 81 following a garage fire in North York on Wednesday afternoon — which was the fourth lithium-ion battery-related incident in a roughly 24-hour span.

Jessop attributes the dramatic spike in fires to the deluge of cheap, unregulated lithium-ion batteries powering the growing legions of e-bikes and electric scooters plying local streets.

While this type of battery has been proven safe when manufactured in regulated settings, cheaper options from international e-commerce platforms which have not gone through rigorous testing and standards can be liable to spontaneous fires when overcharged or overheated.

Health Canada is looking into possible regulations that could theoretically curb the threat of dangerous batteries, including consultations held through early 2026.