This photo provided by the Tokyo Fire Department shows a burnt portable power bank. The fire is believed to have started in the built-in lithium-ion battery.

       TOKYO -- The Japanese capital has seen dozens of fires this year caused by lithium-ion batteries in cellphones and other devices, prompting the Tokyo Fire Department to alert consumers to be careful with the batteries.

       There were 90 fires caused by li-ion batteries in the first nine months of this year in Tokyo, a faster pace than the total of 104 li-ion battery-related fires in 2020. According to the department, the top three products responsible were portable power banks at 20 fires, cellphones at 14 fires, and cordless vacuum cleaners at 7 fires.

       The number of fires triggered by li-ion batteries has been increasing in recent years, at 55 in 2016, 56 in 2017, 82 in 2018, 102 in 2019, and 104 in 2020.

       In a house fire in Tokyo in May that injured two, a lithium-ion battery-powered electric mop reportedly caught fire when a charger made by another company was used.

       The Tokyo Fire Department commented, "Please use a genuine product designated by the manufacturer, and if you notice any abnormality such as it getting hot while charging, stop using it and consult the manufacturer or the store."

       (Japanese original by Takuya Suzuki, Tokyo City News Department)

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