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‘They burn really, really hot, really, really fast’: How safe are lithium-ion batteries in your home

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla — In less than two minutes, a fast-moving fire that started with a lithium-ion battery filled Jody Burgoyne’s home with smoke and flames. A home surveillance camera in her kitchen captured a sudden boom, then the family scrambling. They tried to get the entire family, including pets, out as smoke and fire quickly consumed their Utah home.

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“I screamed and I just threw the fire extinguisher and ran because I knew it was bigger than what I could handle,” said Jody Bourgoyne. Firefighters told her it started with a failure of a lithium-ion battery charger for a scooter.

She said, “It’s like before you buy something, you’re gonna have to think, hmm, I could possibly lose everything, including a child, but is it worth having this scooter for? I don’t think so.”

Lithium-ion fire risks are now in more places than you may think in your home as the use of the revolutionary long lasting batteries is in everything from laptops to flashlights, even smoke detectors.

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We see the warnings printed on the box of a new device or rules at the airport about packing lithium-ion batteries, but many people ignore the risks. A survey by Erie Insurance found 1 in 4 Americans don’t even know what lithium-ion batteries are and they can spark a fast-burning fire in a matter of seconds.

Lt. Paul Hammerl with the Seminole County Fire Department said they’ve seen a significant increase in their lithium-ion battery calls.

“We’ve seen multiple houses become total losses just due to these things being improperly stored inside of their homes,” Lt. Hammerl told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal.

In 2023, Channel 9 reporters on a fire at a Seminole County transfer station. Surveillance video shows spread to four trailers. It was likely sparked by a lithium-ion battery.

The county started tracking lithium-ion battery incidents last year. Since then, records show crews have responded to 44 calls connected to lithium-ion battery issues although fire crews believe the number of incidents is likely much higher. The fire dangers for lithium-ion batteries are different than other fires. They don’t need a light or spark to start burning and they just keep burning. Lt. Hammerl calls it thermal runaway.

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“These fires, they burn really, really hot, really, really fast, and they produce their own oxygen. So, there’s really no way to put a battery out that’s in thermal runaway,” he said.

They often spark when batteries are punctured, improperly charged or they’re at the end of life. As part of a test, Seminole County firefighters punctured a small part of an electric vehicle battery pack. Sparks and pieces of the pack everywhere as it just continued to burn.

The Seminole County Fire Department is so concerned about the dangers from increased use of the batteries, it’s focused on being ahead of the curve. It has provided specialized training for all of its firefighters and has invited other agencies to train with them.

Lt. Hammerl said, “It’s very, very dangerous, and the gasses that it emits is also incredibly toxic for us, or civilians that are out there breathing this stuff in. It’s a guaranteed trip to the hospital.”

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Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to owning devices with lithium-ion batteries:

-Only use original chargers that come with your device

-Look for batteries from reputable sources that have been safety tested

-Unplug them when charging is complete

-Keep them away from anything flammable

It’s also extremely important not to just throw them in the trash. Landfill fires and garbage truck fires have become a big problem that drain resources and put people in danger. Many electronics stores will recycle them, and local landfills have special hazardous waste drop-off areas for them.

Jody Bourgoyne’s family lost nearly everything including a family pet in their home fire.

She said, “You always think, you know, well, that’s not gonna happen to me. You know, what are the chances? But it can.”

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