Investigators believe a lithium-ion battery was the cause of a fire Thursday night at an apartment complex in Fall River.
The fire broke out just after 7 p.m. at a three-story building on North Main Street. Deputy Fire Chief Neil Furtado told 12 News that “a battery exploded while it was being charged.”
“It’s heavy metals, it’s different metals, different components,” he explained. “Once that thermal runaway happens, it’s almost impossible to stop it. So when it does burn, it burns at a hotter temp.”
Furtado said crews arrived to find heavy flames coming from the second floor. They were able to put out the fire pretty quickly, but not before it caused an estimated $75,000 worth of damage.
No injuries were reported.