The fire was accidental and caused by “an unknown failure of a lithium-ion battery pack while actively charging,” the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Service says.
LEESBURG, Va. — Loudoun County Fire and Rescue said the department determined what caused a house fire in Leesburg that sent one of its firefighters to the hospital over the weekend.
A charging lithium-ion battery had apparently ignited, setting off the smoke alarms inside the two-story house in the 19000 block of Kipheart Drive. According to a Loudoun County Fire and Rescue spokesperson, the fire was “accidental.”
The fire caused about $1.2 million in damage to the single-family house and displaced two people. The flames originated on the first floor but could be seen rising with smoke out of the house’s roof in a photo shared to LCFR’s Facebook page on Saturday morning.
The fire was contained to the one house where it originated, firefighters said on Sunday, “limiting damage to the neighboring homes.”
Firefighters were called in from five different Loudoun County districts — Lansdowne, Ashburne, Moorefield, Kincora and Leesburg — to help put out the fire. One firefighter was taken to the hospital and treated for “minor injuries.”
Also reportedly suffering from minor injuries, a civilian was evaluated at the scene.
On Sunday, LCFR spokesperson Annemarie Antignano offered advice about how to handle lithium-ion batteries correctly.
“These batteries supply power to many kinds of devices and if damaged, can catch on fire or explode,” Antignano said. “Make sure to only use the battery that is designated for the device and never allow the battery to charge while unattended, or near anything that can catch fire. Stop using or charging any batteries immediately if you notice an odor, too much heat, a change in color or odd noises.”