On Sunday, Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services responded to an apartment fire off 33rd Street. While the cause is yet to be determined, firefighters say it resembled other fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.
First heat, then a popping sound, and then flames. Before she knew it, Brianna Einstein’s apartment balcony was engulfed.
“This is my business closet that's set on fire, ultimately. All of that is gone," Einstein said. "This whole lot maybe had about like $2,000 to $3,000 worth of merchandise on there.”
Her son felt the heat from the living room and eventually saw smoke coming from inside the closet and went to investigate.
“We saw a stream of smoke going everywhere," Jaidon-Amaré Einstein said. "So then I walked outside because (the screen door) was already open because we were cleaning the storage. As soon as I walked outside, there was a lot of fire and smoke.”
“I teach (him) if we're ever in a situation and we need an escape route or we need this, we have safety plans in order,” Einstein said.
After having her business products destroyed and being left with just debris, Einstein believes it was her candle thermometer with rechargeable batteries that started the fire.
Fire officials say the official cause of the fire is still undetermined due to the amount of burnt material, but it looked similar to other battery fires they’ve responded to.
“A lot of products are stored in closets where there are battery materials close by," said Fire Captain John Prickett, Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services. "Those things can generate a lot of heat. What we got to think about with lithium-ion battery technology is that it's a huge amount of energy stored in such a small capsule that over time, these things can degrade or be charged to the point where they fail and start generating their own heat and have what's called thermal runaway.”
Lithium-ion batteries are in our phones, e-bikes, and even cars. Thermal runaway occurs when batteries catch on fire side by side.
The Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services team has responded to four lithium-ion battery fires this year.
“We ask people to really just think about what they're purchasing and think about where they're going to store those batteries when they do charge them," Capt. Prickett said. "We ask them to try and use reputable companies that have the UL listing or United Laboratories listing. That's a testing agency that determines and makes sure that those batteries are good quality condition and work accordingly.”
Prickett also said it’s important not to throw lithium batteries in the trash because they can cause a landfill fire. Instead, recycle them at a local recycling center.
If you'd like to help Brianna Einstein replace the lost work items in her storage unit, you can click here.
