© Tulsa Fire Department
In the absence of smartphones that have two days of autonomy, many people buy portable batteries to charge their mobile phones without having to plug the device into an outlet. But what people sometimes forget is that these portable batteries, and lithium-ion batteries in general, can cause fires. This is recalled in a video that the firefighters of Tulsa (a city in Oklahoma, in the United States) published a few days ago.
“I want to bring your attention to a critical issue that is affecting fire departments across the United States, fires caused by lithium-ion batteries”, a firefighter representative says at the beginning of the video. He explains that these batteries store a large amount of energy in a compact volume. And when that energy is released, it can cause flames or toxic gases. Incidents can be caused by exposing the battery to extreme heat, when the battery is damaged, or when it is not recharged with the proper charger.
And to illustrate these dangers, the Tulsa Fire Department released a video, captured by a surveillance camera. In it, a dog can be seen bringing a portable battery to a mattress and then chewing on it. The dog damages the battery, which quickly catches fire and causes a house fire.
Subscribe to Presse-citron
Store your power bank properly
The moral of the story: If you have a dog in your home, don’t leave your power banks lying around, as they could catch fire if chewed on by your pet. Of course, these items should also be kept out of reach of children. And when you’re done using your power bank, don’t throw it in the trash, as it could catch fire.
Thankfully, no one was injured in the Tulsa fire. Even the dogs were able to escape the house and survived. But the fire department representative says things could have been worse if the dogs hadn’t found a way out, or if the family was asleep in the house when the fire broke out.
- Portable batteries are very useful, but they can also easily catch fire
- In the United States, firefighters are reminding us of this by sharing a surveillance video in which a dog is seen causing a fire by chewing on a battery
- These accessories must be stored properly, out of reach of children and pets
📍 To not miss any Presse-citron news, follow us on Google News and WhatsApp.
[ ]