Lithium-ion batteries in a charging electric scooter caused an apartment building fire that left one person critically injured and 23 residents without a home in Northwest D.C. on Tuesday, officials said.
Crews rushed out to Peabody Street NW in Brightwood just after 12 p.m., as powerful flames and thick smoke forced dozens of residents to evacuate the building in a matter of minutes.
Video shows fire shooting out of a basement unit as residents scramble to safety.
D.C. Fire and EMS said one person was hospitalized with critical injuries and a firefighter suffered minor injuries.
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In an update Wednesday morning, the fire department confirmed the cause of the fire.
“Fire investigators confirm lithium-ion batteries in a charging scooter caused yesterday’s Peabody St fire leaving 1 critical and over 2 dozen homeless. 2nd recent fire in DC of this nature. Never charge these devices where they block your egress from the home,” the department said. Photos show the burnt wreckage.
'All I saw was black and smoke'
Resident Cassandra Israel told News4 the blaze started in her unit. She said she believes it was sparked by her friend's electric scooter as it was charging.
“I’m looking out the door at the room, and I just see all the flames and sparking, going towards our entrance and our exit,” Israel said.
“The fire just like, went up in flames. And it was so much smoke. So, when I turned my head in the hallway to tell the people to call 911, and then I looked at my apartment doors, I couldn’t see nothing,” Israel said.
Another resident, Andrew, said he jumped into action as soon as he knew something was wrong.
“I was sleep and I heard a boom,” he said. “All I saw was black and smoke, and the knob was hot. So I went and I got my family and we jumped out through this here basement window to save ourselves.”
Firefighters had to use ladders to rescue people who were trapped on upper floors. D.C. Fire and EMS said working fire alarms likely saved lives.
News4 was there as Andre Prailow and his family arrived to assess the damage. He said he’s thankful that his wife and three young children weren't inside when the fire broke out.
“As a parent, we just thank God, because we could’ve been there … We could either be cooking, we could be doing anything, and that would’ve just happened,” Prailow said.
The fire department said nine of the units are uninhabitable.
The Red Cross is helping residents who were displaced.
Tips on how to use lithium-ion batteries safely
There’s a growing push for federal regulation of lithium-ion batteries in products, as News4 reported. Safety standards are now voluntary.
The batteries fuel thousands of everyday products, but have been blamed for exploding and causing deadly fires.
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Here’s advice from Underwriter Laboratories’ Fire Safety Research Institute and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission how to safely use the batteries:
- Don't leave batteries on the charger. Once they're charged, unplug them.
- Place larger lithium-ion batteries, like those for power tools, on timers, so the charger will automatically shut off.
- Be wary of after market batteries and only use batteries recommended or made by the manufacturer for your product.
- Never throw these batteries in the trash. Take them to a battery recycling center or hazardous waste site.
- Don’t try to manipulate or alter the batteries. Experts said this dramatically increases risk of fire.
