North Carolina man trying to charge car battery indoors sparked house fire, authorities say
A North Carolina home was evacuated after a 12-volt automobile battery exploded in the kitchen because of user error, officials say.
The man who sparked the blaze owns a Tesla, but fire authorities said it's a mistake that any car owner could make.
On Saturday, a Tesla owner in Cary, North Carolina, removed the small, low-voltage lithium battery from their car to charge it, Laird Van Gorden, battalion chief of the Cary fire department, told USA Today. The homeowner plugged it into an outlet in their kitchen, but the battery short-circuited and exploded.
"They had tried to get a replacement [and] were unable to, so they decided to try and charge the battery themselves," Van Gorden explained to WRAL.
The news station reported that plumes of smoke dispersed into the residence. The house was evacuated, and four people were rushed outside due to smoke inhalation.
According to the fire department, by the time firefighters arrived, the flames were extinguished using a dry chemical extinguisher.
Van Gorden said there was minimal damage, and no injuries were reported. He said the fire only left "a few scorch marks" where it was charging.
What exploded?
Teslas have two batteries, one lithium-ion battery and a typical 12-volt car battery. the Cary Fire Department confirmed the battery in question was the 12-volt battery.
"This was not the large battery that actually powered the [Teslas,]" said Van Gorden. "There are smaller batteries in Teslas and other automobiles, so you can think of this battery as the battery in a normal car."
How did the fire start?
Van Gorden and other media outlets report the fire was started because of a user error.
"There is a very specific set of instructions on how to deal with a dead battery," said Van Gorden. "And in this case, those directions were not followed."
Experts say car batteries should never be charged indoors because a faulty battery could explode or catch fire, state multiple media outlets.
"Please, please, please follow the owner's manual and the manufacturer's recommendation regarding any type of batteries, not just Tesla batteries," said Van Gorden. "As we become a [more] sustainable and electric society, it's very, very important to understand that there's risk involved with everything."