Charging Lithium-Ion Battery Causes Fire, $5 Million In Damages

LEESBURG, VA — A charging lithium-ion battery sparked a fire in Leesburg that caused $5 million in damage on Tuesday, authorities said. It's the seventh fire in Loudoun County in the past 12 months caused by a lithium battery, according to the fire department.

The blaze began around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon in an outbuilding on Woodburn Road in Leesburg. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found 40-foot by 40-foot building heavily involved in fire, according to the fire department report. The occupants had already evacuated.

"This area of Leesburg does not have hydrants, so additional tankers were requested to supply water to the scene," Loudoun County Fire and Rescue said in its report. "Crews deployed numerous hand lines to contain and extinguish the outbuilding fire and fire that had spread to nearby trees and brush."

The fire was contained without any injuries.

Through their investigation, the fire marshal's office determined that the blaze was caused by a lithium-ion battery in its charging cycle. The damages totaled $5 million.

Authorities said its the seventh fire caused by a lithium battery in Loudoun County in the past year. The fire department provided the following tips to prevent these fires in the future:

• Always keep batteries, charging cords, and charging devices clear of flammable or combustible materials.
• Monitor any battery or device that is being charged during the entire charging cycle.
• Stop use of batteries immediately if you notice an odd odor, change in color or shape, excessive heat from the battery when in use or charging, leaks, or odd noises. If it is safe to do so, move the device away from anything that can catch fire or relocate the device outside the home and call 911.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and only using the battery and charging cord that is designed for the device.
• Ensure all cords and wires are not damaged or worn.