There’s a warning from West Sussex Fire and Rescue after Lithium-ion batteries were found to cause a house fire in Oving.
Crews were called to St Andrews Close on Sunday, the 20th of July, where the owner had gone out without unplugging a charger. On arrival firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a high pressure hose reel and a carbon dioxide extinguisher to extinguish the fire.
The fire service says the batteries found in e-scooters, laptops, and tablets pose a fire risk when overcharged, short-circuited, or damaged.
Watch Manager Stuart Smith said: “Leaving batteries and devices on charge while unattended is extremely dangerous and can start a fire. Thankfully the property had working smoke alarms which alerted the neighbours to call 999.
“It is a good idea to turn electrical items off at the switch when not in use, especially when leaving the house, and avoid charging devices and running electrical appliances overnight while you are asleep. In the event of a fire, you’ll have less time to react and escape.”
Station Manager Darren Wickings, Chair of the lithium-ion group LIBERATE, said: “Lithium-ion batteries are found in many common rechargeable devices such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, e-cigarettes, e-scooters and e-bikes. These batteries are safe during normal use, but present a fire risk when over-charged, short-circuited, submerged in water, or damaged.
“To help prevent fire, always use the charger supplied with the device or recommended by the manufacturer.
“Charge batteries and devices on a flat, solid and stable surface. Don’t leave them charging while unattended or overnight and always unplug the charger when they are fully charged.
“Never charge large lithium-ion batteries, such as e-scooters and e-bikes, in hallways or stairwells where they could block your escape. Try to charge and store them away from living areas.”
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