Albemarle County: Fire caused by electrical charging devices causes $8-$10K in damage

A fire caused by the failure of electrical charging devices caused $8,000-$10,000 in damage to an outbuilding in Albemarle County on Tuesday morning.

Albemarle County Fire Rescue units were joined by local volunteer units at the scene of the fire, which was reported at 9:01 a.m.

The fire was contained to the outbuilding, and there were no injuries reported.

Fire prevention tips

Lithium-ion batteries store a large amount of energy in a small amount of space and can overheat, catch fire, or explode. We encourage our community to remember these safety tips when using and charging lithium-ion batteries:

• Only use the battery that is designed for the device.
• Put batteries in the device the right way.
• Only use the charging cord that came with the device.
• Do not charge a device under your pillow, on your bed, or on a couch.
• Do not keep charging the device or device battery after it is fully charged.