Fire marshal stresses Lithium-ion battery safety after Birmingham garage explosion

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (FOX 2) - A garage in Birmingham burst into flames after a lithium-ion battery in a lawnmower exploded.

The owner "said he had freshly charged the battery, unplugged it, stowed it away, they went away for the night," Fire Marshal Jeff Scaife said, with the Birmingham Fire Department. The explosion was called in by a neighbor.

Scaife is warning people to be cautious when using lithium-ion batteries, especially since they are becoming increasingly common in a wide range of electronics – such as power tools, toys, remotes, vaping devices and more. If these batteries catch on fire, they typically burn 3-4 times hotter than conventional fires.

Due to the extensive heat, fires caused by lithium-ion batteries take a lot more water to put out.

The Birmingham Fire Department eventually put out the garage fire and nobody was hurt, officials said.

Scaife noted a rise in incidents involving lithium-ion battery fires. When these batteries sustain damage, the positive and negative ions can create a powerful chemical reaction.

"These batteries should not be around water, they shouldn't be submerged in water. If you drop them you’re going to look for cracks. If you see an obvious crack or (smell) an odor coming from it, get rid of it," he said. "Take it to your local Home Depot, Lowe's –they’ve got disposal centers– get rid of it. Don’t try to recharge it because that’s when you’re going to have this problem – when there's a compromise to the unit itself."

To be safe, make sure to read the owners manual.