9-volt batteries can start fires

Kids and Character Fire Safety Introduction - video 1 

 

 KidsAndCharacter offers several videos to teach you and your family about fire safety. The one that caught my eye was on Inside Edition tonight. 


 
          

Dave Miller, of Fort Collins, CO, is heard making a 9-1-1 call about his house being on fire. He's told to evacuate the house. He almost didn't make it out alive. Thankfully he did, because he has been able to warn the world about the cause of the fire.

Dave would change his smoke detector and place his batteries in a paper bag in the garage for proper disposal. When he accidentally bumped the bag two batteries terminals touched each other. It was confirmed by the fire department that the batteries in in the paper bag were the cause of the fire.   

It's been taught in survival class that a 9-volt battery and steel wool touching will start a fire. If you put keys in your pocket with a 9-volt battery, or throw loose 9-volt batteries in a junk drawer with other metal objects, you can start a fire.

In the video you can learn how to save yourself and your home from learning the hard way. Keep the batteries secure in their original packages, or cover the contacts. 

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