DANIEL — “This could have ended very differently,” Deputy Chief Bob Kladianos, Sublette County Unified Fire (SCUF), said. “Had this happened at night, or if they had left the house, things could have ended very differently.”
The call came in around 8:24 a.m. on May 5. A lithium battery charger exploded in a Sublette County home. SCUF volunteer firefighters from Battalions 1 (Pinedale) and 5 (Daniel) were called to the home where a couple had been sitting on the couch with their charger on a nearby glass table. They noticed an odd smell. When they went to grab the charger, it was very hot. So they placed it on a rug next to the front door. It got hotter and hotter and eventually threw sparks approximately 6-8 inches. Then it exploded. The victims grabbed a quilt to throw over the charger and wrapped it in another blanket, tossing it outside.
“It burned a big black spot in the floor,” said Kladianos, who responded as the Duty Officer. “An hour after the incident, the charger still registered 300 degrees.”
These explosions are becoming a common occurrence. According to NFPA, Lithium-ion batteries store a lot of energy in a small amount of space. When that energy is released in an uncontrolled manner, it generates heat, which can turn certain internal battery components into flammable and toxic gases. Lithium-ion battery fires happen for a variety of reasons, such as physical damage (e.g., the battery is penetrated or crushed or exposed to water), electrical damage (e.g., overcharging or using charging equipment not designed for the battery), exposure to extreme temperatures, and product defects. Heat, smoke, the release of toxic gases, and the potential for explosions are the dangers associated with lithium-ion battery fires.
“We would advise people that if they buy this type of item, they get something tested and approved by Underwriter Laboratories (UL) listed,” said Kladianos. “The problem is we are getting cheap imports and that’s why this is happening.”
The fumes are very toxic. Firefighters donned full self-contained breathing apparatus to go into the house. The victim did have difficulty breathing from the toxins. SCUF firefighters used positive pressure ventilation to remove the fumes from the home.
In a Facebook post, the victims wrote: “The fire department folks were awesome. As were the ambulance crew who made sure I was okay after inhaling the fumes,” the man said. “So this is a heads up to all, when it comes to lithium batteries. Please, please, if you have them plugged in, never leave your home with any of these devices plugged in. This could have been a way worse outcome!!! A special thank you to our fire department, police and ambulance crew for their speedy and professional assistance!! We appreciate you all.”
Lessons learned: If you buy these lithium batteries, make sure they are UL tested and a quality product. And do not leave them unattended.
