Lithium Ion battery incident has fire officials reminding public of the dangers in charging batteries incorrectly

An incident in the City of Fond du Lac has fire officials reminding people of the dangers of charging lithium Ion batteries after one caused a fire Wednesday night.

At 11.36 P.M. Fond du Lac Fire Rescue was dispatched for report of an explosion in the living room of a residence. Upon arrival crews found that a lithium Ion battery that had been charging in the living room overheated causing a thermal runaway. The fire was extinguished by the resident before the fire department arrived however there was damage to the floor and wall area.

Fond du Lac Fire Rescue issued a statement saying as demand grows for the batteries, so does the influx of cheaply made, uncertified batteries and chargers — many of which do not meet the safety standards established by Underwriters Laboratories.

They say to only use batteries and chargers that are UL listed.

Purchase from reputable manufacturers and retailers.

Avoid mixing components like using a third-party charger with an unverified batteries.

Regularly inspect batteries for signs of damage.

And Never charge batteries unattended or overnight.