Battery from Tesla explodes in Cary home; firefighters say danger exists with any car battery
A low-voltage, lithium-ion battery from a Tesla exploded Saturday afternoon inside a Cary home.
According to Cary police, the owners of the car removed one of the batteries from the vehicle and took it inside their house on Forest Run Place, off Kildaire Farm Road, to charge it.
While it was being charged, the battery short-circuited, and heavy smoke was released inside the home.
The home was evacuated, and four people were rushed outside due to smoke inhalation.
The battery involved in the accident was not a large, high-voltage battery that serves as a motor for an electric vehicle; rather, it was a 12-voltage battery similar to what is used to start a gas-powered car, Cary firefighters told WRAL News.
According to firefighters, the owners were having trouble with the battery and couldn't get a replacement, so they removed the battery and took it inside their house to try to charge it.
The owners did not follow manufacturers' instructions, and the lithium-ion battery exploded, firefighters said.
Firefighters reiterated the explosion was caused by user error, and the correct chargers must be used for lithium-ion batteries.
"They had tried to get a replacement [and] were unable to so they decided to try and charge the battery themselves," explained Battalion Chief Laird Van Gorden with the Cary Fire Department. "In this case, there are very specific directions that you're supposed to follow, and they weren't followed."
Firefighters said the accident in Cary is why users should follow directions in the owner's manual when charging any battery – whether it's for a car, lawn equipment or even a toy.
"When you have doubt or if there is any uncertainty, take it to an authorized service technician," Gorden said.
Car batteries should not be charged indoors, because any faulty battery could cause an explosion or fire, experts add.
