If you have ever feared leaving your dog at home alone, you have good reason. While the average person may fear their dog getting into the garbage or chewing on the edge of some furniture, there are much more dangerous objects they could get into. This family in Oklahoma left their cell phone battery pack out, and their dog got into it. Not only did the dog chew on the battery pack and ruin it, but the dog sparked a house fire. Watch the insane video below.
Dog Sparks House Fire
These two dogs were just relaxing and enjoying their time while their human parents were at work. Then, the one dog seeks some entertainment. He finds one of his parent's cell phone battery packs. This is a lithium-ion battery pack. Andy Little, from the Tulsa Fire Department, shared important information about these battery packs on the Tulsa Fire Department Facebook page. He states:
"Lithium-ion batteries are known for storing a significant amount of energy in a compact space. However, when this energy is released uncontrollably, it can generate heat, produce flammable, toxic gases, and even lead to explosions." He went on to say that this has been an issue for fire departments across the United States.
While some of the causes of these batteries erupting are exposure to extreme heat, overcharging, or using incompatible charging equipment there are other ways that these batteries can erupt. One of those ways is through physical damage to the battery. In the video, you can see the dog begin gnawing on the battery cord.
As the dog progresses and makes its way to the housing of the battery it causes damage to it, which in turn causes the battery to erupt. Sparks fly, and smoke begins to erupt from the battery. Moments later, flames burst out and begin to engulf the mattress where the dog was laying.
Animals Are Safe After Tragic House Fire
Screenshot from Tulsa Fire Department Facebook
After the dog sparks the house fire, it runs from the scene with its companions. However, moments later both dogs return to inspect the scene. The dog who sparked the house fire begins barking at it, trying to assess the threat. As the flames and smoke increase, the dog flees the scene. Tulsa Fire Officials share that both dogs and cats from the home were able to escape through a dog door. However, the home suffered significant damage.
The Tulsa Fire Department stated how things could have been much worse "if there had been no means of escape or if the family had been asleep at the time." They also urge people to keep these batteries out of reach of children and pets and to dispose of them properly.
