A defective lithium-ion battery in an e-scooter caused a fire in an apartment, severely damaging a laptop in the process. The device contained all of the owner’s business-related documents. Although the case and electronics were unusable, the data recovery experts at DATA REVERSE® were able to analyze the SSD and completely reconstruct the files. This case illustrates that even after fire damage, successful data recovery is possible in many cases.

The incident occurred when the e-scooter battery suddenly overheated and caught fire. The notebook on the desk was severely damaged. The owner was no longer able to access the stored data—there was no backup.

In their distress, the owner turned to DATA REVERSE®, a Leipzig-based company specializing in the recovery of complex damaged data carriers. The charred device was sent to the laboratory on the same day and examined under clean room conditions. The diagnosis: the SSD was severely damaged on the outside, but the memory chips were partially intact.

“In the case of fire damage, it is crucial to treat the data carriers quickly and professionally,” explains Johannes Hoffmeister, data recovery expert at DATA REVERSE®. “Even if the electronics are destroyed, the data in the SSD memory cells can often still be reconstructed – the decisive factor is the extent of the thermal stress.”

After several days of analysis and special procedures, DATA REVERSE® was finally able to recover all business-relevant files. The data was handed over to the customer on a new storage medium together with a backup copy. The relief was immense: the impending losses were completely averted.

The case clearly shows that lithium-ion batteries pose a considerable risk in everyday life. At the same time, it demonstrates that professional data recovery can be successful even in seemingly hopeless situations. DATA REVERSE® recommends always backing up important data redundantly and seeking specialized help immediately in an emergency.