:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(584x405:586x407)/dog-starts-fire-lithium-battery-tout-080724-d35a786b76f048baa94ef108d5b7d5b1.jpg "Dog sets house on fire after chewing up phone charger with lithium-ion battery – Watch")
Dog sets house on fire after chewing up phone charger with lithium-ion battery – Watch
A house fire in Tulsa, Oklahoma, turned out to have an unexpected cause: the family’s dog was caught on video starting the fire by chewing on a battery.
Late last month, the Tulsa Fire Department warned residents about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries and released a video of a dog chewing on a cell phone battery that eventually exploded, causing a house fire.
In the video, the dog can be seen gnawing on the battery, which explodes within seconds before sparks fly and the first flame appears. What follows is a major fire in the house, which brought the local firefighters to the scene.
Tulsa Fire Department/YouTube
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“We responded to a house fire in May caused by a damaged lithium-ion battery. Although the house sustained significant damage, the victim’s two dogs and cat were able to escape unharmed through a dog door,” the Tulsa Fire Department wrote under the video.
Andy Little, spokesman for the Tulsa Fire Department, spoke about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries at the beginning of the video.
“Lithium-ion batteries are known for their ability to store a significant amount of energy in a compact space. However, if this energy is released uncontrollably, it can generate heat, produce flammable and toxic gases, and even cause explosions,” Little said.
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Tulsa Fire Department/YouTube
“These incidents can have a variety of causes, including extreme heat, physical damage to the battery, overcharging, or even the use of incompatible chargers,” Little added.
The Tulsa Fire Department also informed residents about the increase in fires related to lithium-ion batteries.
“Fire departments across the country are encountering fires caused by these batteries, and we want to educate the public about the use, safe storage and proper disposal of these potentially dangerous batteries,” the organization wrote in the caption.
