Wrong Charger In 'Percussive Massager' Led To Thermal Runaway

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — The convenience of long-lasting, powerful, rechargeable lithium ion batteries have changed the way we live our lives, but the technology kept firefighters in our area busy in recent weeks.

The three dramatic incidents, including two on Wednesday of this week, prompted county public safety officials to once again share a few essential safety recommendations.

On July 17, shortly after 5 p.m., the Mohegan Fire Department was dispatched to Croton Park Road in Cortlandt, for a reported lithium ion battery explosion in a bedroom. The first firefighters on the scene found that a portable lithium ion battery percussive massager went into thermal runaway in the bedroom.

The massager was brought outside to isolate it because of the potential fire hazard. Fire officials said the thermal runaway was caused when the homeowner was not able to find the correct charger and a different charger caused the battery to receive three times the amount of power recommended.

Mohegan Fire requested the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services Hazardous Materials Response Team to the scene to secure the massager. Once the massager was secured with Cell Block EX by WCDES Hazmat and Special Operations personnel, the lithium ion batteries were taken to the Westchester County Hazardous Materials Recovery Facility.

The first incident on Wednesday, occurred as a Somers family was sleeping. Public safety officials said the incident serves as a reminder to charge these batteries only when (and where) you can keep an eye on them.

The Somers house fire broke out shortly before 1:30 a.m. The family was awakened by a loud popping noise, followed by the smoke detectors sounding, as the battery went into thermal runaway and began spewing smoke, sparks, toxic gases and debris.

In this case, the battery was for a child-sized battery-powered ATV.

The second fire occurred in a garbage truck after a lithium ion battery was thrown out with household trash.

In Port Chester, around 8 a.m., a fire broke out in the rear of a garbage truck after the compactor crushed a lithium ion battery (possibly from a weed whacker) which was thrown out with the trash. The contents of the truck were dumped in the street for Port Chester firefighters to extinguish.

"Great job by the Somers Volunteer Fire Department and Port Chester Fire Department on these calls," the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services said in a statement. "At both scenes, DES and HazMat arrived to assist with removing the damaged batteries for safe disposal."

County public safety officials offered tips for the safe use, handling and disposal of ion batteries.

• Do not charge any device on or under a pillow, on the bed, or on a couch or arm chair.
• Keep batteries at room temperature and avoid placing them in direct sunlight or in a hot car.
• Store batteries away from anything flammable.
• Do not leave batteries and devices unattended when charging.
• Only use the battery and charging cord that came with the device.
• Lithium ion batteries should never be disposed of with household trash.

Westchester residents can bring these batteries to the county’s Hazardous Materials Recovery Facility in Valhalla. An appointment can be made here.

Residents with questions about lithium ion and other batteries can call the county’s recycling help line at 914-813-5425.