Fire chief’s dog escapes unharmed after chewing on lithium-ion battery, sparking house fire

A recently released video captured the moment a dog belonging to a North Carolina fire chief ironically sparked a small house fire in Chapel Hill by chewing on a lithium-ion battery. 

The Chapel Hill Fire Department released the video last Monday, with Fox 13 Tampa Bay reporting 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.

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Colton sparks small house fire in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  (Chapel Hill Fire Department/Facebook)

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“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.

Colton sits outside next to fire department staff after sparking flames inside the Chapel Hill fire chief’s home. (Chapel Hill Fire Department/Facebook)

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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.

Colton receives pets after sparking a small house fire in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  (Chapel Hill Fire Department/Facebook)

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“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.