Portable Power Stations: A Growing Fire Hazard Due to Misuse of Lithium Batteries

Portable power stations, such as those from EcoFlow, Bluetti, Jackery, or Anker, which countless Cuban families rely on during power outages, have been flagged as potentially deadly if misused. An alert issued by the Santiago de Cuba Hoy website highlights the fire and overheating risks associated with these devices.

The urgency of this warning became more pronounced after a July 9 incident at Miami International Airport, where a lithium battery ignited inside a passenger's luggage bound for Cuba.

Social media users identified the device as an EcoFlow, although the airport's official statement only confirmed it was a lithium battery, without specifying the brand or model. Thankfully, the fire was quickly extinguished with no injuries reported.

Specific Model Recall and Incidents

Simultaneously, a formal U.S. market recall targets the EcoFlow DELTA Max 2000 model, specifically EFD310. The Consumer Product Safety Commission pulled this model after receiving reports of fires, confirming six incidents and over $850,000 in property damage.

This recall affects approximately 25,032 units sold between July 2022 and May 2025. Owners of this specific model should check the label on their unit's bottom, cease use, and contact the manufacturer for a free firmware update. Not all models from the brand are included in the recall.

Frequent Fire Incidents in Santiago de Cuba

In Santiago de Cuba, lithium battery-related fires have been alarmingly frequent. In July 2024, four motorcycles were engulfed in flames in a Micro 9 garage. Months later, an e-bike caught fire inside a Santa Bárbara neighborhood home.

By March 2025, another fire attributed to an electric motorcycle obliterated a house on Tramayo Street, forcing two individuals to escape from the second floor, one sustaining injuries. In June of this year, a Jiménez neighborhood home suffered severe damage minutes after power was restored, with a charred e-bike inside.

National Fire Statistics and Risks

Nationally, specialists from the National Fire Directorate revealed that from 2019 to mid-2023, Cuban firefighters responded to over 3,000 fires linked to electric scooters or lithium batteries, resulting in approximately 200 fatalities or injuries. Over 67% of these incidents occurred between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

The technical hazard in severe cases is thermal runaway: “when a damaged cell heats uncontrollably, it can transfer heat to remaining cells, releasing toxic and flammable gases.”

Lithium iron phosphate batteries (LiFePO₄) are more stable than other variants but are not immune to combustion if damaged, punctured, overcharged, or altered.

Safety Recommendations

Among the most dangerous practices identified by experts is connecting the station's output to a household outlet using a cable with two male plugs, which can cause fires and unexpectedly energize the electrical system.

Warnings also include charging equipment unsupervised overnight, placing them in bedrooms or near flammable materials, and using non-original chargers or makeshift repaired batteries.

Experts advise disconnecting stations from the wall during outages to prevent automatic charging when power returns with voltage fluctuations.

Upon detecting smoke, a chemical smell, hissing, or equipment deformation, the clear instruction is: do not touch the device, evacuate the premises, and call 105, the Fire Department's number in Cuba.

“The fundamental rule for families is simple: charge during the day, supervise the equipment, keep it in a ventilated area away from bedrooms and exits, avoid technical alterations, disconnect during outages, and evacuate immediately if smoke, strange odors, or hissing occur,” the alert concludes.