Fire officials identify cause of two house fires in Medford as lithium batteries

MEDFORD, Mass. — Saturday’s blaze in Medford has been identified as the city’s second fire caused by a lithium-ion battery in recent weeks, says Medford Fire Chief John Freedman.

This weekend’s blaze comes after another house fire on May 4th, which was caused by a battery-powered scooter, fire officials say.

“Unfortunately we expect to see more,” said Chief Freedman. “These two fires alone have displaced almost a dozen people and sent three of them to the hospital. If you, a family member, or roommate have a scooter, e-bike, or other device powered by lithium-ion batteries, it’s extremely important to understand the hazards involved and take the right steps to avoid them.”

Now, officials are urging the community to remain safe when using lithium-ion batteries, especially larger ones, like those used by scooters and e-bikes. They offer the following tips:

• Have a working smoke alarm installed on every level of your home.
• Only use the device’s original batteries and charging equipment from its manufacturer.
• Charge the battery directly into a wall outlet, without an extension cord or power strip.
• When possible, store scooters and e-bikes outdoors. If it has to be inside, keep them away from doors, windows, and stairs.
• Charge only one battery at a time.
• If the battery is damaged or shows other strange changes, including smoking or leaking, stop using it immediately.
• If you need to dispose of the battery, recycle it at a designated station, which can be located here.

“Lithium-ion batteries store a tremendous amount of power,” said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. “When they burn, they burn extremely hot and extremely fast. A fire like this can ignite nearby combustibles, furniture, and the structure itself, just as we’ve seen in these two recent fires. It’s vitally important to use, store, and charge them according to the manufacturer’s instructions to remain nearby when they’re charging, and to disconnect them from the power source once they’re charged.”

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