About 75 firefighters were needed to respond to a house fire at 10 Brooks Avenue in Gaithersburg on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m., according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS).
According to preliminary reports, a lithium-ion battery explosion may have started the fire, which started in the home’s basement. Despite the difficult conditions, which included intense heat on the scene, the fire was swiftly put out by about 75 firefighters, and no casualties were recorded.
Additional information regarding the event was provided by MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer in a follow-up statement that was made public Thursday evening. Investigators found that a power strip that supplied energy to a LiPO battery charger and related batteries was the cause of the basement fire. It is estimated that the incident caused damage of about $200,000. One individual was relocated as a result of the incident, even though the monitored fire alarm warned the resident in time.
In order to safely remove the batteries and associated parts from the scene and minimize any remaining dangers, Hazardous Materials (HazMat) teams were brought in.
