A dramatic surveillance camera video released by the Tulsa Fire Department shows the moment an unsupervised dog started a house fire by chewing on a lithium battery pack.

Reportedly captured in May of this year, the shocking footage shows a dog casually chewing on a portable lithium-ion battery power bank left within reach by their owner. At one point, the pierced battery starts sparking and then bursts into flames, causing the canine perpetrator as well as another dog and a cat that were napping nearby to run for their lives. Luckily, all the pets escaped through a dog door and were not harmed, but the fire caused significant fire to the house. Firefighters are now using the video as a warning against leaving lithium batteries within reach of children and pets.

A Tulsa Fire Department spokesperson said that, despite the significant damage caused by the fire, things could have been much worse if there were people sleeping inside, or if there was no way for the poor animals to escape. It only took a moment for the mattress the dog was chewing the battery pack on to catch on fire and the blaze quickly spread to other flammable surfaces.

“When this energy is released uncontrollably, it can generate heat, produce flammable and toxic gases and even lead to explosions,” the fire department’s Andy Little said about the energy in deceptively compact lithium batteries. “It is crucial that you adhere to manufacturer guidelines when using lithium-ion batteries, only using approved chargers and storing them out of reach of children and pets.”

 

Earlier this year, we wrote about an English businessman who tried to burn his own house down out of spite, so his soon-to-be ex-wife couldn’t have it.