The ticking bomb in all our homes: "I am in agony of body and soul"

An investigative report on the dangers of lithium batteries, featuring the harrowing testimony of Shiron Alter, who lost her son Yotam in a battery explosion on a mobility scooter. The report presents fire department data on the scope of fires, explains the failure mechanisms, and describes Alter's public struggle to regulate oversight of the field and the global race to find safer alternatives.

A comprehensive investigative report by ynet reveals the daily dangers posed by lithium batteries, found in every home—from electric bicycles to mobile phones. At the center of the report is the harrowing testimony of Shiron Alter, who lost her ten-and-a-half-year-old son Yotam and was herself critically injured about two years ago, when the mobility scooter they were riding in central Tel Aviv caught fire and exploded due to a lithium battery that had been negligently handled at a pirate lab. Fire and rescue data reveals that in 2025 alone, about 256 fires were reported due to lithium batteries, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuries to dozens, most of them children aged 10 to 13. Roi Zukerman, head of the hazardous materials branch at the fire service, explains that a mechanical, thermal, or electrical failure can lead to ignition within just 15 seconds. The fire service is cooperating with Israel Railways through warning announcements and public awareness campaigns, while scientists in Israel and around the world are investing efforts in finding alternatives such as sodium-ion batteries and solid-state batteries. Alter, recently released after a year of grueling hospitalization and rehabilitation, has made the fight to regulate oversight of lithium batteries her life's mission.