Lithium Ion Batteries Cause 2 Fires At Cortlandt, Somers Residences

Firefighters rushed to two Northern Westchester homes after devices containing lithium-ion batteries went up in flames.

Two devices containing lithium-ion batteries went into thermal runway, causing fires at Cortlandt and Somers homes.
Photo Credit: *Westchester County Department of Emergency Services/Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association*

08/25/2024 2:00 p.m.

One of the incidents happened at a Somers residence on Wednesday, Aug. 21, when the battery inside a child-sized all-terrain vehicle went into thermal runway at around 1:30 a.m., spewing smoke, sparks, toxic gas, and debris, according to the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services.

The family was soon awakened by smoke detectors, DES officials said, adding that hazmat team members arrived to safely dispose of the battery.

The second fire happened on Wednesday, July 17 at a Cortlandt residence on Croton Park Road, when a portable lithium-ion battery-powered percussive massager exploded in the home's bedroom just after 5 p.m., the Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association said on Wednesday, Aug. 21.

The massager was later brought outside so firefighters could isolate it and prevent the house from sustaining more damage.

According to the fire department, the blaze happened because the resident used the wrong charger for the device, causing it to receive three times the amount of power.

The fire was eventually dealt with by 7 p.m. and the battery was taken to the county's Hazardous Materials Recovery Facility in Valhalla.

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