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The blaze happened on Monday, July 8 just before 9 p.m. at a residence in Somers on Weeks Court, the Somers Volunteer Fire Department announced on Thursday, July 11.
According to the fire department, arriving crews found a scooter on fire in the home's garage and took it outside. They then evacuated the residence and began to cool down the scooter's lithium-ion batteries.
Firefighters soon went back inside and found smoke throughout the first and second floors, prompting them to ventilate the home.
Soon after, the Westchester County Department of Emergency Service's Hazardous Materials Team arrived at the scene and examined the lithium-ion batteries to make sure they were cooling and safe. The batteries and cooter were then put inside a metal drum to be taken to a hazardous waste dump, the department said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, officials currently believe that the scooter's charger overheated, causing the lithium-ion batteries to heat up and start "off-gassing," according to firefighters.
These dangerous fumes then filled the garage and eventually found an ignition source, causing a flash fire in the garage that broke windows and damaged garage doors.
Somers EMS evaluated one of the home's residents who was exposed to the toxic fumes during the fire, the department said.
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