GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The Grand Rapids Fireplace Division is warning individuals to be cautious of lithium-ion batteries after they have been answerable for beginning three fires in simply the final month.
“Over and over, what we have heard is they hear a pop and before they know it, there is smoke everywhere,” GRFD Capt. Mike Witteveen mentioned.
With the proliferation of lithium-ion batteries, you most likely have a pair dozen in your house proper now. They energy telephones, computer systems, instruments and even digital bikes and scooters. Harm to the batteries, unhealthy charging habits like over-draining and excessive temperatures could cause them to enter thermal runaway and explode.
GR crews practice to struggle battery-sparked fires: ‘Don’t throw them within the trash’
There are warning indicators your machine is deteriorating.
“If you start seeing swelling in the battery or the device isn’t working correctly or it’s putting off a strange odor, take note of that you have a problem with that device,” Grand Rapids Fireplace Marshal Invoice Smith mentioned Wednesday.
Two of the three battery fires GRFD lately responded to began with electrical scooters. In essentially the most damaging fireplace, the scooter was being charged inside.
“Don’t keep them in your homes,” Smith mentioned.
He additionally reminded individuals to retailer private electronics away from beds and flammable supplies.
And if a hearth does spark, get away.
“Fighting the fire is going to be extremely difficult for you. It’s tough for us and we have the gear to do it. If it goes up, get out,” Smith mentioned.
“We have found when these packs fail, they start ejecting these out like a fireworks thing. The inside is gone. That ejected somewhere and is burning somewhere else,” Witteveen mentioned.
Lithium battery fires set off a hazmat response from GRFD, which hauls particular tools to guard firefighters from poisonous fuel and assist them entry and dismantle the battery packs earlier than they unfold the fireplace additional.
What to do along with your previous batteries, know-how
If disposed of improperly, lithium batteries can wreak havoc. The Kent County Division of Public Works says it responds to lithium battery fires in its recycling and waste services virtually month-to-month. One frequent wrongdoer: vape pens.
“They are plastic so people are putting them with their recycling, or they are small so they put them in their general trash,” Kent County DPW waste discount educator Micah Herrboldt mentioned.
Lithium-ion batteries will be disposed of at any of the county’s 5 SafeChem websites.
