Oklahoma, United States

In a distressing video, a dog was seen starting a house fire accidentally as he bit into a lithium-ion battery. The incident took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

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The Tulsa Fire Department released the dramatic footage of the incident, which happened in May, in which a house was burned out. The video features three pets- two dogs and a cat sitting in the background. One of the dogs started biting into a portable cellphone battery which led to the sparking and the fire. The two dogs and a cat panicked and started running all around.

Watch the video here.

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The Tulsa home sustained significant damage in the fire, but the pets escaped through a dog door and were not harmed, according to Andy Little, a spokesperson for the fire department.

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"However, the outcome could’ve been much worse if there had been no means of escape or if the family was asleep at the time," Little added.

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Little called lithium-ion battery fires a "critical issue that has been affecting fire departments across the United States."

The lithium batteries are commonly used to charge cellphones, and are “known for storing a significant amount of energy in a compact space," Little said.

"However, when this energy is released uncontrollably, it can generate heat, produce flammable and toxic gases and even lead to explosions," he added.

Experts have highlighted this issue earlier, as extreme heat exposure, physical damage, overcharging and using incompatible charging equipment can lead to the devices catching fire. 

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Little urged the public to exercise caution with lithium-ion batteries, including storing them out of reach of children and pets.

The right way to dispose off electronic devices is to be taken to a designated recycling centre or hazardous waste collection point, said Little. Any such devices or equipment should not be simply thrown away in the garbage, which could damage the batteries and potentially cause fires. 

(With inputs from agencies)