Lithium Ion should be replaced ASAP by safer chemistries so we can sidestep this issue completely. As far as I'm concerned this should have never gotten as far as it did and manufacturers that produce crap batteries (of which there are plenty!) should be held responsible.
Apropos: not rare at all to open AAA brand battery packs to find burned out wiring, burned out circuit boards, signs of combustion that somehow didn't go outside of the case. Take no risk with these things, even with the good ones: in case of doubt place in fireproof container and deliver to a recycling station that knows how to handle them safely. If you have no experience with these then do not try to repair a pack because the risks are nothing to be trifled with.
Finally: cheap stuff containing 18650's should be avoided like the plague, if the device is cheap then that means the components are even cheaper. Only use devices that use quality cells, that haven't been recycled and that have only been used within spec.
Your fire insurance policy protects you from monetary loss, but it won't revive you or your companions...
Apropos: not rare at all to open AAA brand battery packs to find burned out wiring, burned out circuit boards, signs of combustion that somehow didn't go outside of the case. Take no risk with these things, even with the good ones: in case of doubt place in fireproof container and deliver to a recycling station that knows how to handle them safely. If you have no experience with these then do not try to repair a pack because the risks are nothing to be trifled with.
Finally: cheap stuff containing 18650's should be avoided like the plague, if the device is cheap then that means the components are even cheaper. Only use devices that use quality cells, that haven't been recycled and that have only been used within spec.
Your fire insurance policy protects you from monetary loss, but it won't revive you or your companions...