A Vernal family celebrating America 250 at the Freedom Festival had their world stop with a phone call on Saturday. Their house was on fire. They rushed home to find that, thanks to neighbors making the call, the fire department had already arrived and the fire was out. No one was home at the time, no one was injured, no pets were harmed, and the fire hadn’t spread beyond the detached garage where it started. It was a terrifying experience and the garage is a complete loss but they are choosing to remain focused on all that they have to be grateful for. So what was the cause of the fire? It is believed it was a lithium-ion battery charging in the garage. It’s not well known but leaving batteries to charge can be dangerous. Overcharging a lithium-ion battery beyond its designed capacity can lead to overheating and they degrade over time due to charge and discharge cycles. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends doing some research before purchasing. Visit www.saferproducts.gov for any recall information on products you are considering. Look for a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory stamp on the packaging and product. Once purchased, always use the charger provided by the manufacturer for the device being charged. Do not overload outlets. Charging devices should be plugged directly into an outlet and not into extension cords or multiplug adapters. When in doubt, have a professionally licensed electrician test your existing circuits to ensure safe use. Proper disposal of batteries includes placing tape over battery ends and terminals to help prevent accidental discharges and potential fires. Repairs to any lithium battery should only be performed by a certified repair facility. Do not place lithium-ion batteries in trash or recycle bins as they have the potential to ignite. Locate collection sites in your community and check with your local authorities to determine proper recycling methods for used batteries. Learn more at usfa.fema.gov.
