WATCH: Dog biting into battery sparks house fire in Tulsa
TULSA, Okla. (KFOR) - The Tulsa Fire Department recently released video of a house fire caused by a lithium-ion battery.
According to Tulsa FD Public Information Officer Andy Little, lithium-ion batteries store a significant amount of energy and a small space, like a portable charger.
Little says when a lithium-ion battery is damaged, it can create heat, release flammable and toxic gases, or lead to an explosion.
A battery can be damaged in the following ways:
- Exposure to extreme heat
- Physical damage to the battery
- Overcharging
- Using incompatible charging equipment
Firefighters responded to a house fire in May after the homeowner's dog chewed on a lithium-ion portable battery. Biting into the battery caused it to explode and catch a portion of the house on fire.
Fortunately, both dogs and a cat made it out of the home safely through a dog door.
Officials say lithium-ion batteries need to be disposed of properly at your local household pollutant collection facility.