Lithium-Ion battery charger sparks house fire in Orillia, causing significant damage

Fire crews work to extinguish a fire at a Forest Avenue home in Orillia, Ont., on Fri., June 7, 2024. (Source: Orillia Fire Department)

A fire sparked by a Lithium-ion battery charger caused considerable damage to an Orillia home and injured two people Friday morning.

Firefighters from the Orillia, Severn and Rama departments worked to contain the flames to the rear living room where the blaze started at the Forest Avenue home.

The chief told CTV News the homeowners, a man and a woman, were home when the battery charger caught on fire, burning the man's arm.

Without a phone to alert emergency crews, the woman drove to the fire station for help.

Two people, the homeowner and a firefighter, were taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

Lithium-ion batteries are used in smartphones, laptops, cordless power tools, e-bikes, and other electronic devices.