10/04/2026
NEAR MISS - Yesterday, Normal Fire Department responded to the report of a fire in a bedroom. On arrival we located the origin of the fire was on a mattress, where a power bank overheated while charging and ignited a pillow and the bedding. Thankfully the only occupant at the house at the time woke to the smoke alarms, and was able to mostly extinguish the fire before we arrived. We helped ventilate smoke and make sure the fire was totally extinguished.
It was coincidental timing as the first day of Fire Prevention Month, the theme of which is all about safety with lithium-ion batteries and charging!
Charging a phone or device under a pillow is a serious fire hazard because the pillow traps heat, causing the lithium-ion battery to overheat and can potentially ignite pillows, bedding, and the mattress itself. Always place devices on a hard, flat, and well-ventilated surface like a table or nightstand while charging.
And as always - Smoke alarms save lives but only if they work! Test your smoke alarms and make sure they will wake you up if there is a fire.
