VIDEO: It is becoming all too common across the country and here in Maine - fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.
These batteries are used in everyday devices like cell phones, e-bikes, and electric vehicles. But what are some do’s and don’ts with these types of batteries?
Scott Luciano spent 25 years in the fire service. These days he’s traveling across the state to educate firefighters and other emergency response personnel on how to manage emergencies involving lithium-ion batteries.
Luciano, president of Specialty Response Solutions, Inc., says these batteries can be an effective and efficient source of power, but if they overheat and catch on fire, the effects can be detrimental.
“What keeps them stable is a really small, thin piece of plastic basically that separates the positive and negative parts of the battery. When that plastic part fails, we end up with a significant event,” he explained.