A recently released video captured the moment a dog belonging to a North Carolina assistant fire chief ironically sparked a small house fire by chewing on a lithium-ion battery.
The Chapel Hill Fire Department released the video last Monday showing Assistant Fire Chief David Sasser's dog, Colton, as the cause of the incident.
According to the department, the battery was fully charged, unplugged and not subject to any recalls, but it had not been stored safely.,
"Colton is a good boy, but he counter-surfed while his humans were away and got hold of a device with a lithium-ion battery," the fire department said in a post on Facebook.
NEW DETAILS REVEALED AFTER MARINE CORPS LIVE-FIRE ROUND HITS PATROL CAR NEAR CAMP PENDLETON
"Colton was able to get the battery, break its protective features by chewing on it, and ended up causing a fire," the department added.
Fortunately, Colton escaped with only minor smoke exposure, and the house remained largely intact, with only a rug sustaining damage.
TESLA CHARGING UNIT SPARKS MASSIVE INFERNO IN TEXAS GARAGE, SEVERELY DAMAGING HOME, OFFICIALS SAY
Colton "now safely hangs out in a crate when his humans are away," the department said.
The fire department used the incident to stress the importance of properly charging, storing and handling lithium-ion batteries.
"They store a lot of energy in a small place, from power tools and headphones to laptops and smart watches. If overcharged or damaged, these batteries can overheat, start a fire, or explode," the department said in a separate post on Facebook.
"We want to encourage the public to ensure they have working smoke alarms, be mindful of all Lithium battery-operated devices, and have an escape plan in the event of a fire," the department told Fox News Digital on Monday.
The post Assistant fire chief's dog escapes unharmed after chewing on lithium-ion battery, sparking house fire appeared first on FOX News