Parents warned as children’s book sparks fire in car seat burning van and causing thousands of dollars in damage

PARENTS are being warned to keep a careful eye on a certain type of children’s book after one started a fire next to a child’s car seat this week.

The car seat caught fire inside a North Carolina mother’s car on Sunday, authorities with the George Hildebran Fire and Rescue in Burke County – just over an hour north west of Charlotte .

Facebook/George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department

Facebook/George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department

Facebook/George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department

Facebook/George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department

Luckily, the child and her mother weren’t in the vehicle at the time.

Destiny Williams and her daughter Misty were inside their home after attending church on Sunday when their neighbor spotted smoke pouring from the car.

The good samaritan rushed over to the house and grabbed a garden hose to douse the fire.

“This is crazy, but thank God for protecting her,” Williams told local ABC affiliate WSOC-TV .

While the mother and daughter were unharmed, the fire left thousands of dollars of damage, according to the outlet.

Photos of the aftermath show the bottom half of the young girl’s car safety seat completely melted.

Below the destroyed seat can be seen the culprit of the fire: one of the girl’s children’s books .

The Fire Marshal’s Office determined that a “button battery” installed in the book caused the seat to go up in flames after it overheated.

The button was installed in the book to make noises and was powered by a lithium battery.

Officials with the George Hildebran Fire and Rescue have warned that these small batteries – which are so often installed in toys and books for children – have become a problem.

“The world itself is moving to lithium batteries, which propose some of these troubles to the fire service,” Chief Bobby Craig told WSOC-TV.

“I don’t know if there is — other than trying to keep them cool — that there is any precautions.”

Williams and her husband Pressley said they were shocked to discover that the fire had been caused by such a small object.

“Very shocked that that could happen but also so blessed that [our daughter] wasn’t in there,” Williams said.

Lithium Battery Warning

Firefighters and doctors are warning of the risks of lithium batteries that are often found in children's toys and books

“While these tiny power sources are incredibly useful, they pose a significant risk to young children,” the East Portland Pediatric Clinic says .

These batteries pose three major risks:

• Chocking hazards
• Chemical burns or poisoning
• Fire hazards

“Fires involving lithium-ion battery-powered devices have been increasing at an alarming rate and have resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities,” the Spokane Valley Fire Department warns .

“When people store and charge their devices inside their homes, garages or businesses, there is the potential for battery fires that lead to structure fires.”

To prevent fires, the department recommends:

• Keeping these devices away from flammable materials
• Avoid crushing the battery
• Do not keep the batteries in direct sunlight or in a hot vehicle
• Keep the batteries at room temperature

The couple claimed that the book itself had no warning labels on how to store the book in regards to the lithium battery.

“We’ve had multiple push-button books for toddlers and no warning labels,” Williams’ husband said.

“It just tells you how to discard it, how to change the battery.”

While the North Carolina family avoided any injury, the fire has been a warning to nearby families who own similar books.

Lt. Connie Pollard, one of the fire lieutenants who responded to the fire, told WSOC-TV that she immediately informed her daughter of the risk.

“It was a real shock to a lot of us because several of the firefighters have young children,” Pollard said.

“I have grandchildren, and immediately after leaving the scene, I did a multi-text and phone call to my children.”

Cottage Door Press, which produced the book involved in the incident, has denied that its books use lithium batteries .

In a statement obtained by The U.S. Sun, the company said its electronic children’s books use alkaline batteries and have seen no reports of incidents after selling millions of copies.

“We are relieved that no one was injured and are working closely with local officials and experts to determine the cause of this incident,” the company said.

To further protect young children and families in the area, the local fire department is reportedly hanging on to the melted car seat to use during training sessions.