Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire warns of dangers of lithium-ion batteries
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire said it is noticing an alarming trend.
That's the destructiveness of lithium-ion batteries when they fail. The department is calling on people to be alert to the fire hazards they can present.
According to Assistant Chief Brian Kokkila, a vehicle fire last month was traced back to a lithium battery failure. Firefighters said the blaze could have spread to other buildings.
The bureau said it's an emerging technology that's in many devices we have, including phones and laptops. It's also in e-bikes and hoverboards.
To prevent any catastrophes, firefighters recommend storing the devices in dry and climate-controlled areas. The batteries are technology firefighters are still working to learn.
"There's no industry-wide mechanism for tracking the cause of lithium-ion or battery-related fires," Kokkila said. "That's something the U.S. Fire Administrator is working diligently for the nation to track this and other hazards."
It's recommended you always follow the manufacturer's instructions for charging, handling and using the devices to prevent any issues. That can mean getting the brand-name charger as opposed to the off-brand ones.