11/04/2026
An interesting incident that Ilfracombe fire crews were mobilised to this week. Bad doggy!!!
🚒 A small incident with a big lesson…
Yesterday, we were mobilised to reports of a smell of burning at a property.
On arrival, nothing was immediately obvious, no visible fire, no clear source, but that distinctive smell told us something wasn’t right 🤔
After a systematic search, we traced it to an unexpected culprit…
A family dog had picked up a lithium battery from a child’s toy, taken it back to its bed, and given it a chew 🐶🔋 Fortunately the dog was ok!
This had caused the battery to fail and go into thermal runaway, generating intense heat and starting to burn the bedding 🔥
Thankfully, the cause was discovered early and didn’t develop any further, but it could very easily have been a different outcome.
⚠️ Safety message
Lithium batteries are now in so many everyday items, toys, gadgets, tools, but when damaged, they can become extremely dangerous:
🔥 They can overheat rapidly and ignite
💨 They release toxic gases when burning
⏱ Fires can develop very quickly with little warning
✅ Simple steps to stay safe:
🐶Keep loose or spare batteries out of reach of children and pets
🚂Avoid leaving batteries lying around or within toys that can be easily accessed
🪫Never use or keep damaged batteries
🔋 Store and dispose of batteries safely and responsibly
At Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, we’re seeing more incidents involving lithium batteries, and this is a great example of how everyday situations can escalate quickly.
A really positive outcome yesterday, but one that serves as a reminder to stay aware.
Stay safe 🔥
Woolacombe Fire Station
Ilfracombe Fire Station
