Stoneham Fire Determines Cause Of Blaze That Displaced Residents

STONEHAM, MA — The fire department has determined the cause of a fire that displaced two residents and a dog last week.

Crews responded to the single-family home on Gracewood Road at approximately 7:20 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 10, after a neighbor reported seeing smoke coming from the home. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered smoke coming through the front door and requested a full working-fire response.

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The residence was unoccupied at the time of the blaze. Before firefighters arrived, the neighbor who reported the fire was able to rescue a dog from inside the home.

Firefighters extinguished the flames before conducting an investigation into the origin of the blaze. Crews determined that the fire was caused by a lithium-ion battery pack from a leaf blower.

According to the Stoneham Fire Department, the battery had fallen into a swimming pool several days earlier and was subsequently left to dry in the kitchen. The damaged battery later caught fire.

Firefighters removed the battery from the residence and placed it in a hazardous-materials storage container for proper disposal. Crews remained at the scene for approximately one additional hour to ventilate the home and monitor its air quality.

The two residents were temporarily displaced while smoke damage was cleaned from the property. No injuries were reported.

The Wakefield Fire Department provided mutual aid at the scene, while firefighters from Reading and Winchester provided station coverage during the response.

Stoneham fire officials reminded residents to use manufacturer-approved chargers, charge battery-powered devices on hard surfaces, and stop using batteries that are damaged or have been exposed to water. Lithium-ion batteries should also be taken to an appropriate recycling facility rather than placed in household trash or regular recycling, where they may ignite.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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