A South Florida homeowner narrowly avoided a house fire Sunday after she recognized warning signs coming from a lithium-ion battery in a used electric wheelchair.
“Sunday morning, a homeowner saved her house thanks to quick thinking,” the Hollywood Fire Rescue and Beach Safety officials stated on Monday.
“She heard a clicking sound coming from the battery pack of a used electric wheelchair she bought at a thrift store. Instead of ignoring it, she immediately moved it outdoors where it exploded, saving her house and her family from catastrophe,” said the fire department.
Video footage shared by the fire department shows that she moved the wheelchair to her driveway, stood back, and looked at it, puzzled. Moments later, the wheelchair sparked and exploded as she ran away.
Fire officials said that the battery had been charging with a non-manufacturer charger. Using a charger for lithium batteries not made by the same manufacturer can cause overheating and overcharging.
Early warning signs of a lithium battery explosion include clicking, popping, hissing, or excessive heat. These warning signs can signal an imminent battery failure, fire, or explosion.
Anaya described the moments leading up to the explosion in an interview with NBC 6 South Florida. She said she had only seconds to react after noticing the issue.
"Eight seconds later, it exploded into a ball of fire," Anaya said. "I couldn't believe it."
Anaya said she had been charging the wheelchair in her hallway when she heard a clicking noise. After noticing the battery was hot, she searched online and quickly moved it outside to her driveway.
"I heard it hiss first before it exploded," she said.
She added that debris struck her as she ran, but she and her family were not injured. Firefighters later told her the flames could have reached the roof if the explosion had occurred inside her home.
Anaya said she chose to share surveillance video of the incident to warn others about the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries.
Fire officials shared the following lithium battery safety tips:
1. Stop using the device if you hear clicking, popping, or hissing, or if you see swelling.
2. Move the device to a noncombustible area, if it is safe to do so.
3. Use only the charger recommended by the manufacturer. Cheap or incompatible chargers can be dangerous.
4. While charging, check the battery for excessive heat.
5. Never leave batteries charging unattended.
6. Call 911 if you see smoke or any sign of thermal runaway.