Officials say lithium-ion battery powered devices are responsible for three house fires so far this year in Berrien County. One of the fires occurred in Lincoln Township as an e-scooter was charging. Another took place in Watervliet and involved a battery powered air compressor. A third broke out in Benton Harbor last month and involved an e-bike. โThat fire was a vacant rental home where the tenants that moved out left an e-bike charging in the basement,โ said Benton Harbor Deputy Director of Public Safety Brian Kazmierzak. Or in this case, the tenants left an e-bike โoverโ charging in the basement.
The lithium-ion battery fire phenomenon is a hot topic of discussion and one being studied at places like the New York City Fire Department Training Academy. โYou can find hundreds of those same videos on YouTube, where you can just see how fast it is, you know. Normally a fire without accelerant is going to start very slowly, itโs going to you know smolder. Those are pretty much instant within seconds,โ Kazmierzak continued. Benton Harbor Fire Services itself embraces lithium batteries. Battery powered tools are stocked exclusively on the trucks, although the department is careful not to cut corners.
