Normally, Colton the dog is a very good boy. The Sasser family from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was shocked after their very sweet boy managed to start a fire in their home last year. David Sasser with Chapel Hill Fire Rescue said they normally crate Colton, but on this particular day, they left the house to visit with family. The curious and playful dog was having the time of his life while playing in the family room and managed to pull a few items off the counter. That’s when Colton got hold of a lithium rechargeable backup battery. The battery then caught a rug on fire. “Thankfully, we have a monitored alarm system, so once Colton started the fire, our local department was called to respond,” Sasser said. He also said that everyone was safe; however, “Colton’s battery privileges have been revoked,” he said.What to know about lithium batteries:Stop using the battery if you notice these problems: • Odor • Change in color • Too much heat • Change in shape • Leaking • Odd noises Battery Disposal How to dispose of batteries: • Do not put lithium-ion batteries in the trash. • Recycling is always the best option. • Take batteries to a battery recycling location or contact your community for disposal instructions. • Do not put discarded batteries in piles. Find out more about fire safety here.
Normally, Colton the dog is a very good boy.
The Sasser family from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was shocked after their very sweet boy managed to start a fire in their home last year. David Sasser with Chapel Hill Fire Rescue said they normally crate Colton, but on this particular day, they left the house to visit with family.
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The curious and playful dog was having the time of his life while playing in the family room and managed to pull a few items off the counter. That’s when Colton got hold of a lithium rechargeable backup battery. The battery then caught a rug on fire.
“Thankfully, we have a monitored alarm system, so once Colton started the fire, our local department was called to respond,” Sasser said. He also said that everyone was safe; however, “Colton’s battery privileges have been revoked,” he said.
What to know about lithium batteries:
Stop using the battery if you notice these problems:
• Odor
• Change in color
• Too much heat
• Change in shape
• Leaking
• Odd noises Battery Disposal
How to dispose of batteries:
• Do not put lithium-ion batteries in the trash.
• Recycling is always the best option.
• Take batteries to a battery recycling location or contact your community for disposal instructions.
• Do not put discarded batteries in piles.
Find out more about fire safety here.
