Roberta Mender Maguen lost her entire home in a fire that took just ten minutes. The cause, it is believed, was an old lithium battery from a laptop. Now she is urging everyone not to keep faulty devices.
What had been gathering dust in a drawer or closet for years destroyed one family's life. Roberta Mender Maguen shared a harrowing experience on social media after her home was completely destroyed in a fire, and she blames an old lithium battery for it all.
Although she and her partner were not at home and escaped physical injury, their cats did not survive. The material damage is enormous, and the flames also consumed more than 6,000 books they had collected over the years.
The speed at which the fire spread was staggering. "In less than 10 minutes, the flames broke through the roof. More than 6,000 books, likely a total loss," Roberta wrote in her Facebook post. It is believed the fire was caused by an old laptop.
What is particularly alarming about her warning is the fact that the device does not need to be plugged in to pose a danger. "Public warning: dispose of or recycle unused phones and computers. They can catch fire simply due to age, they don't need to be plugged in," she said.
Her post quickly sparked a wave of reactions. Many expressed condolences, but also shared their own experiences and admitted they were not aware of the danger lurking in their homes. "I have two old phones and computers in my closet. Are you telling me they pose a fire hazard?" asked one user on social media, visibly surprised.
Others confirmed that the danger is not an exaggeration. "The same thing happened to me six years ago," wrote one of them. There were also those who decided to act immediately: "Thank you for sharing this, now I realize I need to figure out how to get rid of my old devices," added a third.
Lithium-ion batteries are found in almost all portable electronic devices and store a large amount of energy. They are sensitive to heat and physical damage, and failures such as short circuits or overheating can lead to catastrophic consequences.
Experts warn that they should never be thrown into household waste because that carries an additional fire risk. The proper way to dispose of them is to take them to specialized recycling centers or use hazardous waste disposal services. Roberta concluded her story with an appeal that is hard to ignore: "Please, don't wait, get rid of those batteries before it's too late."
