MANCHESTER – Firefighters rescued two dogs from a smoke-filled home after an exploding lithium battery triggered a fire response at a residence in the Roosevelt City section of Manchester.
Whiting Fire Company Station 33 was dispatched at about 9:19 p.m. on January 9 after an alarm company reported a fire alarm activation at the home. Upon arrival, the incident commander confirmed the residents were not home and established command as additional units responded.
Crews conducted a full exterior assessment and discovered smoke coming from the rear of the house, prompting the response to be upgraded to a possible structure fire. Firefighters entered the residence and safely removed two dogs while searching for the source of the smoke.
Investigators determined that a lithium battery had exploded in the kitchen and was undergoing thermal runaway, a dangerous condition in which the battery rapidly overheats. The battery was removed from the home, and firefighters checked for any extension of fire before ventilating the structure.
The battery was secured for proper disposal, and the scene was later turned over to the Ocean County Fire Marshal and Manchester police for further investigation.
Assisting agencies included Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst firefighters, Berkeley Township’s hazardous materials unit, and local law enforcement.
No injuries were reported.
