NH Fire Marshal Warns About ‘Junk Drawer’ Items After Amherst Blaze

August 8, 2012 6:56 PM

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Local, News, Seen On WBZ-TV, Syndicated Local, Watch + Listen

LONDONDERRY, NH (CBS) – New Hampshire’s Fire Marshal is warning people after a fire at an Amherst, New Hampshire home that is being blamed on a battery, paper clips, post-it notes, and other items stashed in a junk drawer.

The prongs of the battery, a 9-volt, apparently came in contact with a metal item and some paper. The metal item conducted the battery current, and the paper worked as fuel.

On Wednesday, Londonderry Fire Chief Mac Caffrie demonstrated for WBZ-TV just how it can happen.

“The potential is there,” Chief Caffrie said. “There are a lot of things in a normal junk drawer that do burn, and apparently the ignition source was a 9 volt battery.”

The battery warning surprised homeowners. Pat Kelley didn’t realize her junk drawer was full of things that could cause a fire.

“We didn’t know that. My husband nor I would even think of that,” she admitted.

Kelley says she’ll now heed the Fire Marshal’s warning, and separate her 9-volts from other items.

Chief Caffrie points out there are other easy solutions.

“Just take a piece of electrical tape and put it across the battery,” he said.

A simple move like that can protect your house from a very real risk.

NH Fire Marshal Warns About Junk Drawer Items After Amherst Blaze

http://ehssafetynews.com/2012/08/12/updated-house-fires-caused-by-storage-of-9-volt-aa-batteries-on-the-rise/ Updated! – House Fires Caused By Storage of 9 Volt & AA Batteries on the Rise « EHS Safety News America

[...] http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/08/08/nh-fire-marshal-warns-about-junk-drawer-items-after-amherst-bl… 41.680826 -88.134019 Rate this:Share this: Pin ItEmailPrintShare on TumblrDiggLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. [...]
http://thescorpionthefrog.com/2012/08/15/how-your-junk-drawer-could-set-your-house-on-fire-more-reasons-to-not-sleep/ How Your Junk Drawer Could Set Your House on Fire & More Reasons To Not Sleep.

[...] potential is there," Londonderry, New Hampshire, Fire Chief Kevin MacCaffrie told CBS News in Boston. "There are a lot of things in a normal junk drawer that do burn, and apparently the ignition [...]
http://ehssafetynews.com/2012/10/08/updated-october-8-2012-house-fires-caused-by-storage-of-9-volt-aa-batteries-on-the-rise-additional-stories/ Updated October 8, 2012 – House Fires Caused By Storage of 9 Volt & AA Batteries on the Rise – Additional Stories! « EHS Safety News America

[...] http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/08/08/nh-fire-marshal-warns-about-junk-drawer-items-after-amherst-bl… [...]
http://hill-kleerup.org/blog/2012/12/06/9-volt-safety.html 9 Volt Safety | ***Dave Does the Blog

[...] NH Fire Marshal Warns About ‘Junk Drawer’ Items After Amherst Blaze – CBS Boston A fire at an Amherst, New Hampshire home is being blamed on a battery, paper clips, post-it notes, and other items stashed in a junk drawer. [...]