On Thursday, April 11 at 11:28 p.m., a 9-1-1 call was received reporting their neighbor’s residence was on fire in a multi-family residence in the 600 block of Moorpark Way. The occupants of the residence self-evacuated before firefighters arrived.

Fire units were dispatched at 11:28 p.m. and arrived on the scene at 11:33 p.m. Units arrived to find the residents and Mountain View Police used a fire extinguisher to extinguish flames coming from a lithium-ion battery in the bedroom of an apartment on the second floor of a two-story multi-family residence. Firefighters used a fire extinguisher and a fire attack hose line to extinguish flames coming from the battery, battery charger and a mattress near the battery charger and electrical outlet on the wall.

Firefighters performed an extensive overhaul of the affected apartment by cutting open the walls to ensure complete extinguishment of the flames. The Mountain View Police Department closed Moorpark Way for 90 minutes while fire units and equipment were on the scene.

The fire was extinguished with no injuries. The residents of the affected unit received $250 gift cards from the California Professional Firefighters Union Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency Program. The property manager arranged for temporary housing for the occupants while the residence undergoes restoration. The fire cause was determined to be a malfunction of electrical charging equipment. The estimated damage to the contents and structure is $10,000.

The National Fire Protection Agency advises residents to adhere to safety recommendations for the use and charging of lithium-ion batteries in the home. Some of these safety tips include only using the battery specifically designed for that device, only using the charging cord that came with the device, not charging a device under a pillow, bed or couch and to refrain from continuing to charge a battery once it is fully charged. A full list of lithium-ion battery safety recommendations can be found at https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/lithium-ion-batteries.