Excerpts from fox32chicago.com:

The Chicago Fire Department is raising awareness about the increasing number of fires caused by faulty lithium batteries in the city.  As technology use expands, so does reliance on lithium batteries, which the department says are becoming a growing fire hazard.

Fire officials have seen a rise in incidents involving devices such as electric bikes and computers igniting, prompting the department to release a public safety announcement (PSA) on Thursday.

Advice from the department is not to use aftermarket products, batteries or chargers, and to make sure that your rechargeable lithium batteries are certified by a nationally recognized lab, like Underwriters Laboratory (UL).

Experts warn against taking apart lithium batteries and charging devices overnight when they can’t be monitored.

CFD’s Commanding Fire Marshal Ryan Rivera said everyone needs to be aware that these fires are dangerous because they act differently.

“If they see the smoke, get out. Call 911. That’s number one. Don’t try to fight it. If you think that you have a Class D extinguisher or something you’re going to put (it out with), you’re going to be overtaken before you could even make it out. Because typically, that cellphone battery is going to be around other combustibles, which that heat is going to ignite that combustible. And you’re in trouble with the toxic gases that are coming off of that reaction,” Rivera said.

For those looking to safely dispose of batteries, the department recommends visiting Call2Recycle.org to recycle them properly.

Tags: Chicago Fire Department, chicagoareafire.com, lithium battery fire safety