A battery left charging overnight caused a recent fire in Warren County, according to fire officials, who are warning residents the same thing could happen in their homes.
October is Fire Safety Month, a time to focus on prevention. Warren County Fire Chief, Bill Rector, said his department focuses on educating different groups across the community.
Rector said people should also check their smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors because it is easy to forget. He said the general rule of thumb is anytime you are changing your clocks, you want to change the batteries.
During Fire Prevention Week, which runs October 4 through October 10, fire departments are educating communities about safety measures for lithium-ion batteries.
Rector said lithium-ion batteries is a particular type of rechargeable battery that stores its energy in a more complex way, and they are usually encapsulated to where it is not like a standard AAA or AA battery.
According to Rector, when lithium-ion batteries stay on a charger too long, they start producing heat that gets trapped inside the packaging. That heat can cause the battery to explode, sparking a fire and releasing toxic fumes.
Rector said the best practice is to unplug devices that are not in use, especially when no one is home.
Source: WBKO
You must be logged in to post a comment.