Susannah Sudborough
masslive.com
(TNS)
A small fire that broke out on a North Andover apartment balcony earlier this month was caused by a lithium-ion battery that exploded after being left in the sun for hours, the North Andover Fire Department said Monday.
Firefighters responded to 99 Edgelawn Ave. for a report of a fire shortly before 6:25 p.m. on July 7, the fire department said in a press release. At the scene, they noticed smoke coming from a rear balcony on the second floor.
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The apartment owner had knocked down the fire using an extinguisher before firefighters arrived and kept it from spreading further, the fire department said. No one was hurt in the fire.
Firefighters investigated what caused the fire and determined that a lithium-ion battery meant to be used in a sander had been left on the balcony in direct sunlight for eight hours, the fire department said. The sun’s rays caused the battery to overheat and explode.
“Overheating and overcharging lithium-ion batteries can lead to an explosion or fire that puts everyone in the home at risk,” North Andover Fire Chief John Weir said in the release.
Always call your local fire department after a lithium-ion battery explosion — even if you are able to put it out yourself, Weir said. Lithium-ion batteries can spontaneously reignite hours after the initial fire.
“The high energy density of lithium-ion batteries means they pack a lot of power into a small device,” State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said in the release. “Overcharging, overheating, and physical damage can cause them to fail rapidly and violently, like this one did.”
Fire Officials’ Lithium-ion Battery Safety Tips:
- Follow the instructions for use, charging and storing provided by the battery’s manufacturer
- Use the charging equipment provided by the manufacturer
- Plug battery chargers directly into a wall outlet, not a power strip or extension cord
- Don’t leave the battery unattended while it’s charging
- Charge the battery on a hard, stable surface, not a bed, couch or pillow
- Disconnect the battery from its charger soon after it finishes charging
- Only use the battery with the item it was intended to be used with
- If you notice swelling, punctures, excess heat, strange odors or hear hissing popping sounds when using an object charged by a lithium-ion battery, stop using the object immediately
- Avoid using or storing items lithium-ion batteries in hot or freezing locations
- Keep items that use lithium-ion batteries away from direct sunlight and items that catch fire easily
- Recycle the battery when you need to dispose of it. You can find locations at https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/
For more information about lithium-ion battery safety, visit the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services’ website.
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