Fire Department officials are blaming car battery charging as the cause for a garage fire last night on Circle Lake Road.
Fire Chief Jason Whiteley says the call came in around 9:30 p.m. and when they arrived a 24 x 24 detached garage was fully engulfed in flames.
"Firefighters encountered a high fuel load including a vehicle in the garage," stated Chief Whiteley in a New Year's Day release.
"Fire personnel were also concerned with a large propane tank stored adjacent to the garage, as well as conducting operations in the extreme cold.
"Nobody was injured during the fire, and damage is estimated at $75,000 dollars. Cause of the fire is believed to originate during the charging of a battery."
See video of the fire courtesy Janelle Dewer here.
Whiteley adds that batteries contain corrosive acid and produce explosive gas, a by-product of their operation.
He says care needs to be taken to avoid flame and sparks that could ignite the hydrogen gas and cause an explosion.
The following safety tips are recommended :
- Charge the battery in a well-ventilated area.
- Don't remove the vent caps as most are designed to be flame resistant.
- Cover the vent area of the battery with a wet cloth to inhibit sparks from igniting escaping gas.
- Turn the battery charger off before connecting and disconnecting leads.
- Connect the positive lead first then the negative lead to avoid sparks. ALWAYS disconnect the negative FIRST when removing the charger from the battery.
- Do not attempt to charge a frozen or damaged battery, or a battery with insufficient electrolyte.
- If the battery becomes hot or if violent gassing or spewing of electrolyte occurs, turn off the battery charger. Resume charging when the area has been well vented at a reduced charging rate. Always follow the manufacturers charging guidelines.
- Only use a battery charger approved or certified by ULC, ULor CSA.
Wallace road was closed to traffic both ways as firefighters needed to access a hydrant across the street near the ONR bus garage last night.
