MIAMI (WSVN) - It’s Fire Prevention Month and City of Miami Fire Rescue members are shedding light on lithium-ion battery safety.
These batteries can be found in almost everything from our phones, to the light we’re using, to the battery in our cameras, and that is what officials say is part of the danger.
In recent months, a dog was killed after a scooter sparked a fire in Florida City, a yacht caught fire because of a small battery bank in Miami, and a small business went up in flames because of a bike that was charging in West Miami-Dade; all of those fires are believed to be caused by the same thing: lithium-ion batteries.
Robert Suarez, a deputy fire marshal with the City of Miami said what’s making the batteries so desirable is also what makes them so dangerous.
“They pack more power into a very tight space more than any other battery technology that’s readily available,” said Suarez.
For this year’s Fire Prevention Month, the fire department wants to educate the public on these hazards.
From charging golf carts and scooters to kids toys, the batteries start a chemical chain reaction, which typically result in loud popping noises before bursting into flames.
“I heard a big explosion boom boom,” said a man who saw the small business go up in flames.
The two main tips to prevent this are to buy only safety-certified batteries and to charge them properly.
“There are an enormous amount of retailers and resellers that are selling either counterfeit or very, very poor quality batteries that are much, much higher risk of thermal runaway,” said Suarez. “Once a lithium-ion battery is fully charged, it should be removed from the charger. It’s not good for the battery and it can increase the chances of a damaged battery going into thermal runaway and igniting if it’s left unnecessarily long in a charger.”
On top of that, you want to be careful where you store and charge them.
For example, phones shouldn’t be on the bed with you. They should be on a flat surface instead.
Suarez said their quick reactiveness in particular is what makes these fires especially dangerous.
“They’re almost always an explanation for why that battery caused the fire and it was, in almost all cases, it’s preventable,” said Suarez.
Suarez suggests anybody who has a damaged or unused lithium-ion battery taken it out of their home. The batteries can be safely disposed at any electronic store or home improvement retailer, like Home Depot.
You can go here for more tips on fire prevention.
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