A dog in Tulsa, Oklahoma, started a house fire after biting into a lithium ion battery, fire officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Tulsa Fire Department recently released dramatic footage of the fire, which took place in May, showing the portable cellphone battery sparking and bursting into flames, sending two dogs and a cat running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The home sustained significant damage in the fire, but the pets escaped through a dog door and were not harmed, according to Andy Little, a spokesperson for the fire department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“However, the outcome could\u2019ve been much worse if there had been no means of escape or if the family was asleep at the time,” Little added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Little called lithium ion battery fires a “critical issue that has been affecting fire departments across the United States.”<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The batteries, commonly used to charge cellphones, are \u201cknown for storing a significant amount of energy in a compact space,” Little said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “However, when this energy is released uncontrollably, it can generate heat, produce flammable and toxic gases and even lead to explosions,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Extreme heat exposure, physical damage, overcharging and using incompatible charging equipment can lead to the devices catching fire, according to experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Little urged the public to exercise caution with lithium ion batteries, including storing them out of reach of children and pets.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n To dispose of the devices, Little said they should be brought to a designated recycling center or hazardous waste collection point — not simply thrown in the garbage, which could damage the batteries and potentially cause fires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Let us work together to prevent lithium-ion battery-related fires and keep our homes and communities safe,” Little said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n