Three children seriously injured in house fire caused by battery

Nottinghamshire Fire Service have issued a fresh warning about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries after three children were seriously injured in a house fire in Bulwell.

The blaze broke out on Longford Crescent on Monday 10th July. The children were rescued from the house by a neighbour and were taken to hospital by ambulance, with one suffering severe burns.

The fire was caused by a fault in a large lithium-ion battery which exploded.

Beth Hayman, Fire Investigation Officer, said: “We would like to wish a speedy recovery to those injured and affected in the incident earlier this week.

“Lithium-ion batteries can be found in everyday technology and household items such as laptops, mobile phones, e-cigarettes, e-scooters and DIY tools.

“If not handled and cared for correctly, can become extremely dangerous and behave in a volatile manner causing catastrophic damage and injuries.”

Here are our tips to keep you and your family safe.

• Do not charge batteries overnight.

• Do not charge items near escape routes.

• Always use the charger provided by the manufacturer. If there are any signs of tear or damage, replace the charger with an official product from a reputable supplier.

• Do not leave items continuously on charge.

• Do not cover the battery with anything while it’s charging.

• Do not charge or handle damaged batteries.

• Do not attempt to tamper or fix lithium-ion batteries.

• Dispose of old or damaged lithium-ion batteries at your nearest battery recycling bank.

The Fire Service will be visiting people around Longford Crescent next Monday (17th July) to reassure residents and check smoke alarms.

It comes just two weeks after another house in Nottingham was destroyed in a fire started by a lithium-ion battery.

The Fire Service shared shocking images of the damage caused after the fire was started by a laptop which had been left on charge overnight.

It happened on 26th June on The Crescent in Woodthorpe.

The house did have working smoke alarms, meaning the family of four were able to escape.