What power banks are most likely to explode while charging?

In Russia, at least two recent incidents of fires and explosions involving budget portable power banks have been reported. Both cases occurred at home during charging and resulted in burns to the users and damage to property.

What happened

In Moscow, a 25-year-old woman reportedly placed a power bank on charge and, about 20 minutes later, heard a loud pop. The device broke apart, with hot fragments scattering around the room, igniting a sofa and flooring. She suffered burns to her hands.

A similar incident occurred in Saint Petersburg involving a 26-year-old woman. During charging, a cable connected to a Chinese-made power bank caught fire. Attempts to extinguish it on her own only led to heavy smoke, and firefighters had to be called. A blanket and part of the flooring were destroyed.

Main cause: refurbished battery cells

Experts link the rise in such incidents to a decline in quality among very low-cost Chinese power banks. Manufacturers increasingly use refurbished lithium-ion cells inside these devices.

These cells have often been used before and may have degraded protection systems or reduced capacity. They are more prone to overheating, swelling, and in severe cases can enter thermal runaway—a self-sustaining chemical reaction that causes extreme heat, fire, or even explosion.

The risk is especially high when charging these devices unattended or overnight, as thermal runaway is most likely to occur during charging.

In short

There has been a rise in reports of fires and explosions involving low-cost power banks during charging in Russia. Experts attribute this to the widespread use of low-quality refurbished lithium-ion batteries, which are more prone to overheating and thermal runaway. Safety specialists advise caution when using very cheap, unbranded models, especially during unattended charging.