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Onset hobby shop fire likely caused by lithium-ion batteries, officials say
“The fire damage and heavy, toxic smoke from this incident demonstrate just how serious we all have to be about battery safety,” Fire Chief Jeffrey Osswald said in a statement.
An Onset hobby shop caught fire Sunday, most likely caused by a failure of lithium-ion batteries in the store, said Onset Fire Chief Jeffrey Osswald and State Fire Marshal Jon Davine in a statement.
Firefighters from Onset — a small coastal village that is part of Wareham, southeast of Boston — responded to an alarm activation and 911 call reporting a fire near 3086 Cranberry Highway around 11:40 a.m. on Jan. 5, according to the statement. The firefighters observed heavy smoke and began attacking the flames in two buildings.
The fire went to four alarms and drew firefighters from across the region.
“The fire damage and heavy, toxic smoke from this incident demonstrate just how serious we all have to be about battery safety,” Osswald said in the statement.
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Osswald said lithium-ion batteries are in devices people use every day. The rechargeable, lightweight batteries power cell phones, laptops, electric vehicles, solar panels and other technology items.
An investigation done by Onset Fire Rescue and State Police determined the origin of the fire was in the front left corner of the store, where batteries were stored and charged. Surveillance footage, below, shows the ignition of the fire.
About 135 fires were caused by lithium-ion batteries in Massachusetts last year, Davine said in the statement. Osswald and Davine provide guidelines on how to safely store, charge, use, and dispose of devices powered by these batteries:
- Store lithium-ion battery-powered devices at room temperature. Scooters and e-bikes should be stored outside.
- When charging a device, plug the charger directly into the wall, store on a hard and stable surface, and unplug when the device is fully charged. Do not leave the device unattended.
- Do not use the battery if there is “an unusual odor, change in color, change in shape, leaking, or odd noises.”
- Batteries should be recycled and not thrown in the trash.
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