By: Matt Weingarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter
The Municipality of Lakeshore Fire Department has urged caution around lithium-ion batteries during the holiday season, highlighting their potential hazards. Found in devices like remote control cars, phones, and other household gadgets, these batteries can overheat, ignite, or explode if damaged or improperly charged.
The warning follows three separate incidents involving lithium-ion batteries in Lakeshore, which caused an estimated $1 million in property damage.
“The growth of consumer technology in households has added a bit of extra risk with lithium-ion batteries,” said Lakeshore Fire Chief Jason Suchiu.
“We’re sharing information about these incidents to ensure our residents know the risks and take steps to keep their homes safe, especially around the holiday season as we purchase or receive gifts that include li-ion batteries.”
To help residents minimize the risk of battery-related fires, the Lakeshore Fire Department offers essential safety tips. First, purchasing batteries directly from the product manufacturer is recommended. Using “off-brand” batteries may lead to compatibility issues with devices or chargers, increasing the likelihood of overheating or malfunctioning.
When charging batteries, it’s critical never to leave them unattended and only to use chargers that the manufacturer approves. For added safety, consider storing batteries in fireproof lithium-ion battery bags, which can significantly reduce the risk of fire while the batteries are in use or charging.
Residents should also watch for warning signs of battery damage. Suppose a battery emits an unusual odour, becomes excessively hot, makes popping sounds, swells, or changes colour. In that case, it’s essential to stop using the device immediately. Damaged batteries should be safely discarded to prevent further risks.
The department has also shared additional resources on lithium-ion battery safety for residents to access.
In addition, the Lakeshore Fire Department will launch its annual “12 Days of Holiday Safety” campaign on social media starting December 12, offering extra safety tips for the festive season.
With technology playing a significant role in holiday gifting, Lakeshore Fire emphasizes the importance of being proactive in identifying and mitigating risks to keep families safe.
hey there and thank you for your info – I have definitely picked up something new from right here. I did however expertise several technical issues using this web site, since I experienced to reload the site lots of times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your hosting is OK? Not that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and could damage your high quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Well I am adding this RSS to my email and could look out for much more of your respective intriguing content. Ensure that you update this again very soon.