A lithium-ion battery in a leaf blower sparked a house fire on Haywain Court in Ballantyne on Friday, Aug. 28, leaving a family of four without a home.
The fire is pushing the Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) to rethink how it handles a growing category of blazes. Battalion 3 Chief John Renner said the department has deployed EV blankets to smother electric-vehicle battery fires and is testing special extinguishers built for lithium-ion incidents, Queen City News reported.
Thirty firefighters controlled the Haywain Court blaze in 32 minutes, the Charlotte Fire Department said on X. No civilians or firefighters were injured.
Investigators determined the homeowners had left the battery-powered leaf blower on the porch, according to Queen City News. Renner explained that lithium-ion batteries can undergo "thermal runaway," an internal chain reaction that causes rapid heating and can lead to an explosion.
"Every now and then, they can have what we call thermal runaway … And what that thermal runaway is basically an internal chain reaction inside the battery that causes it to basically heat up and have that stored energy potential to expand," Renner said.
Batteries can catch fire when overcharged, damaged or exposed to excessive heat. They burn fast and require large amounts of water to extinguish. CFD firefighters told Queen City News that submerging a battery in water after the flames are out is the key step to prevent reignition.
Lithium-ion batteries are expected to contribute to more fires as devices including smartphones, laptops and cars rely on them, according to Queen City News.
What residents can do
Renner offered three steps homeowners should follow:
- Follow manufacturer charging instructions. Use only the charger that came with the device.
- Keep charging areas clear of debris.
- Unplug and move any device that gets unexpectedly hot. Place it in an open outdoor area away from walls and flammable materials.
In a June 2025 post, Mecklenburg County warned that rechargeable batteries do not belong in curbside recycling bins. The county said it had experienced two fires at recycling facilities linked to improperly discarded batteries and directed residents to drop them at full-service recycling centers for free.
Residents who see smoke or flames from a battery device should call 911 immediately.
