Mother Fights for Battery Safety After Son's Fatal Electrocution
Sharon Alter is campaigning for stricter regulations on lithium-ion batteries after her only son, Yotam, died in a scooter accident two years ago. The incident occurred when the battery of the electric scooter Yotam was riding with his mother in Tel Aviv ignited, engulfing the vehicle in flames. Alter herself was severely injured and experienced a period of clinical death before recovering.
Alter recounts that the second-hand scooter, equipped with a 48-volt lithium-ion battery, likely had its battery "amateurishly refurbished." She believes a technical malfunction during their ride caused the battery to explode. In the ensuing inferno, Alter managed to push Yotam out of the scooter's window before losing consciousness. She later awoke in the hospital, only to discover that Yotam had not survived.
Following her recovery, which involved extensive rehabilitation for severe burns and learning to walk and speak again, Alter dedicated herself to raising awareness about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries. She argues that Israel lacks the stringent safety standards found in the US and Europe, allowing individuals to import, refurbish, and assemble potentially explosive batteries without proper oversight. Alter is now working to establish an NGO and meet with government officials to prevent similar tragedies.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection has begun promoting dedicated recycling facilities for lithium batteries to prevent explosions in garbage trucks and sorting sites. However, this initiative, which was delayed from August, is seen by Alter as insufficient to address the widespread danger posed by lithium-ion batteries present in nearly every Israeli home. Fire and Rescue Services noted that these batteries can reach extreme temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Celsius within seconds of ignition, and experts describe the current situation as a "wild west" with unqualified individuals performing repairs based on online tutorials, creating significant risks.
