A North Carolina family faced a potentially life-threatening situation this week when a fire broke out in the back seat of their minivan, resulting in thousands of dollars in damages. A children’s book, equipped with electronic components designed to produce sounds when the reader presses a button, allegedly caused the fire.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, and the family was able to extinguish the fire themselves with a hose. Upon investigation, local fire officials determined that the flames were started by a lithium-ion battery inside the book, which they believe overheated and ignited.
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“A child’s cars seat caught fire shortly after they had exited the vehicle to go inside,” Chief Bobby Craig from the George Hildebran Fire and Rescue Department, said. “It was determined that a ‘Button Battery’ inside a children’s book left inside the car underneath the seat caused the fire.”
However, the book’s publisher, Cottage Door Press, disputed the conclusion. The company maintained that its books only use alkaline batteries, not lithium-ion batteries, which contradicts the firefighter’s conclusion. As a result, the publisher has declined to compensate the family for the damages incurred.
“Our electronic children’s books, which have sold millions of units without incident, use alkaline batteries, not lithium-ion batteries,” Cottage Door Press in a statement. “We are relieved that no one was injured and are working closely with local officials and experts to determine the cause of this incident.”
