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Carroll County declares Fire Prevention Week; officials warn of lithium‑ion battery fire risks
Summary
County commissioners proclaimed Oct. 5–11 Fire Prevention Week and the fire chief urged residents to buy certified batteries and dispose of them properly after describing a rise in battery-related fires and the difficulties firefighters face when lithium batteries ignite.
The Carroll County Board of Commissioners proclaimed Oct. 5–11 Fire Prevention Week and used the occasion to highlight growing risks from lithium‑ion batteries in household devices.
Chief Mike Robinson, director of Fire & EMS, told commissioners that lithium‑ion batteries — which power phones, laptops, e‑bikes and other consumer electronics — can overheat if damaged, improperly charged or charged with off‑brand chargers that lack third‑party safety certification. "These batteries… can actually explode," Robinson said, adding that when batteries enter a state of ‘‘thermal runaway’’ they can release gases and produce very hot, persistent fires.
Robinson…
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