VIDEO: The Chicago Fire Department is raising awareness about the increasing number of fires caused by faulty lithium batteries in the city.
As technology use expands, so does reliance on lithium batteries, which the department says are becoming a growing fire hazard.
Fire officials have seen a rise in incidents involving devices such as electric bikes and computers igniting, prompting the department to release a public safety announcement (PSA) on Thursday.
Advice from the department is not to use aftermarket products, batteries or chargers, and to make sure that your rechargeable lithium batteries are certified by a nationally recognized lab, like Underwriters Laboratory (UL).
"Some party has to look at them external to the manufacturer to make sure that the product has been made safe and deemed to meet safety standards," said UL Global Director of Consumer Technology, Ibrahim Jilani.