Fire Hazard - From 9-Volt Batteries

Do you have a “junk drawer” somewhere in your house?  Most people do, and most of us probably don’t give a second thought to what we put in it.  We probably should since there may be items that, when thrown in together, can start a fire.  People have all sorts of stuff in a “junk drawer.”  One of those things could cause a fire, such as a 9-volt battery.

In a demonstration, items like keys, the clip of a pen and paper clips were put on a 9-volt battery and set next to a tissue.  In minutes, the battery heated up.  In approximately 10 minutes, the tissue had already browned.  The same process works even faster with steel wool.



There are easy solutions.  Just take a piece of electrical tape and put it across the battery posts.  It’s a simple move to protect your house from a common, but very real risk.  Experts also say it’s dangerous to store 9-volt batteries in containers with other batteries, as this can also cause a fire.



Article taken from Standard Mutual Insurance Company News & Views – May, 2014