Page 16 - IAV Digital Magazine #601

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Video Shows Moment Dog Starts House Fire After Chewing On Lithium-ion Battery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdJlJYeTO10
By Christopher Brito
Video shows the moment a dog acci- dentally started a house fire in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by chew- ing on a lithium-ion battery that sparked the blaze.
The footage, recently released by the Tulsa Fire Department, showed how the fire began after a dog bit through the housing of a portable lithium- ion battery power
bank intended to charge cellphones. In the clip, the pet was seen biting on the battery while another dog and a cat rested nearby, until sparks begin to fly out of the battery. The fire con- tinued to grow as the confused pets appeared to panic. Officials said the ani- mals were able to leave the home unharmed.
"While the home was
significantly dam- aged, their two dogs and cat escaped the home uninjured through a dog door," Tulsa fire authorities said.
The Tulsa Fire Department shared video of the May inci- dent and information to warn people about the dangers of lithi- um-ion batteries, which are known for storing a significant amount of energy in
a compact space, sometimes causing deadly fires.
"When this energy is released uncontrol- lably, it can generate heat, produce flam- mable and toxic gases and even lead to explosions," the department's spokesperson Andy Little said. "These incidents can occur due to various rea- sons, such as expo- sure to extreme heat, physical damage to the battery, over- charging or even using incompatible charging equipment."
Little said the "out- come could have been much worse" if there was no way for the pets to escape or if a family was sleep- ing.
"It is crucial that you adhere to manufac- turer guidelines when using lithium-ion bat- teries, only using approved chargers and storing them out
of reach of children and pets," Little said, adding that the bat- teries should also be disposed of properly and should not be tossed in household garbage or recycling bins.
Local veterinarian Dr. Troy McNamara
told CBS affiliate KOTV that pets chewing on or swal- lowing batteries could lead to several dan- gers besides fires. Battery acid is toxic, and biting on the bat- teries could cause physical harm, McNamara said, and if a pet swallows a battery and it gets obstructed, it could get stuck in their stomach or intes- tines.
McNamara said to go to the veterinarian immediately if your pet exhibits signs of battery poisoning, which includes vomit- ing, diarrhea and trouble breathing.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine