Lithium Ion Battery Catches Fire, Burns Car In Toms River: Official

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A lithium ion battery that overheated caught fire in a car on Thursday, Toms River officials said.

The Pleasant Plains Fire Company responded and extinguished the fire, said John Novak, chief inspector for the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention. There were no injuries.

The battery was a component of a wireless phone charger that is marketed for a wide variety of cell phones, Novak said. The battery charger was left on a car seat and the owner said the charger was not working properly, he said.

"Many manufacturers recommend that lithium-ion batteries are not left in direct sunlight. Owners of these products should follow all manufacturer instructions," he said.