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Every pet owner knows that animals can cause some accidental damage to the home — but one dog’s playtime led to a disaster after he accidentally caused a major fire.
The fire department shared the footage on social media, and urged citizens to heed an important warning about some hidden dangers in their home…
In May, the Tulsa Fire Department responded to a home fire that had accidentally been sparked by one of the family’s dogs.
Footage shows that the dog had been chewing on a portable phone charger, a common item found in many households. The dog chewed through the outer layer, he punctured the lithium-ion battery inside — causing it to spark and explode into flames.
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It doesn’t take long for the fire to grow and spread, igniting the dog’s mattress on the floor. It’s a scary sight, but thankfully, the two dogs and family cat were able to escape through a doggy door unharmed.
But the Tulsa Fire Department stressed that things could’ve turned tragic if there was no way for them to escape, or if the family had been asleep at the time. With the homeowners’ approval, the department shared the video online as a cautionary tale about lithium-ion batteries and their potential to cause a fire.
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“Fire departments all over the country are seeing fires related to these batteries and we want the public to learn about usage, safe storage and proper disposal of these potentially dangerous batteries,” Tulsa Fire Department wrote.
Lithium batteries are practical and fast-charging, and are now commonly found in many everyday items, including phones, laptops and electric toothbrushes. But physical damage or overheating can cause the release of toxic and flammable gases or lead to an explosion, as the battery’s compact energy is released.
The fire department recommends keeping lithium-powered electronics out of reach of children and pets. But a chewy pet isn’t the only thing that can cause damage: overcharging your electronics, or using the wrong charger, can also cause a problem.
The department also said to remember not to dispose of lithium-ion batteries in your regular garbage where they might cause a fire, and instead take them to a designated battery recycling facility.
It’s scary how many ordinary household items can cause a fire like that! We’re glad these dogs made it out okay!
Please share this story to spread the word about the hidden potential dangers of lithium-ion batteries.
