Beware of Batteries

8/27/2021 (Permalink)

Technology turning against humans almost sounds like a 2000s horror movie. Unfortunately, that was the reality of a local family when their tech-savvy toys decided to spontaneously combust while charging. 

As this family’s toys started charging up for a fun time, what they got was something else entirely. As the batteries began to combust, the living room quickly caught on fire and the flames began to spread throughout the entire first level. 

How could this have happened? 

The lithium-ion batteries used on the hoverboards, although small, store a lot of power. These batteries are also prone to overheating, which can unfortunately cause explosions; and as this family quickly learned — explosions big enough to set an entire house on fire. What seemed to be a fun time, ended up turning into a homeowner’s nightmare.

Thankfully, the fire was put out in less than 5 minutes after it started, but before the fire department arrived. Those 5 minutes however, caused extensive damage.

Once the fire got going, it moved into their newly renovated, all-white kitchen with custom cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. Though the flames didn’t directly affect the hardware, the soot and smoke from the fire settled into the crevices of the heart of the home. If not addressed immediately, the soot could cause rust and the deterioration of the appliances and potentially cause them to lose their sparkle. 

As you can tell by now, one small spark can set a house ablaze. The focus of attention now is what to do after the fire has been put out? Do what this family did: call SERVPRO of Birmingham. Not only are our technicians restoring the fire and water damage, but our reconstruction team is also gearing up to ensure their house is back to feeling like home.