Golf cart battery catches fire in Hernando, FL garage; CCFR offers battery charging safety tips
Photos courtesy of CCFR.
Hernando, Florida - On Sunday, July 11, at approximately 12:30 am, Citrus County Fire Rescue responded to a fire that was reported within the garage of a N. Essex Ave., Hernando residence. Firefighters from the Hernando and Pine Ridge fire stations arrived at the home to find fire damage to a garage workbench, with minor extension to an outlet wiring and a garage wall, and the fire already extinguished, due to the homeowner dousing the fire with a garden hose.
Firefighters determined that a golf cart charger had caught fire on the workbench. The garage attic space above the outlet, and the wall of the burnt outlet were checked, but no fire extension was found. The home was ventilated due to a light smoke haze inside the residence. Firefighters left the home at 1:16 am. The occupants had been alerted to the fre by smoke detectors, and all occupants had evacuated the home, without injury, prior to the arrival of firefighters. Damage to the home was estimated at $1,500.
In recent years, the use of golf carts golf carts has been growing, and most fires attributed to their use are caused by the battery or the electrical elements of the cart. The chargers are a common cause of fire because some do not have an internal voltage breaker, as was the case with this fire on N. Essex Ave., Hernando garage fire. This fire also failed to trip the home’s main electrical circuit breaker, which was deactivated by the owner.
Citrus County Fire Rescue recommends the following guidance when charging an electric golf cart:
1. ALWAYS follow the manufacturer’s charging recommendations.
2. Use the charger provided by the manufacturer.
3. Charge the golf cart in a well ventilated and shaded area.
4. Disconnect the charger when the golf cart has finished the charging cycle.
5. Do not charge the battery overnight or if there is no one home with the golf cart.
6. Install a carbon monoxide detectorinside your garage or inside your home in the area closest to the garage.
If your carbon monoxide alarm is sounding, or you suspect something is wrong, immediately leave your home and call 911. Do not enter your home again until firefighters have cleared the home of hazards and confirm it is safe.
Contact Citrus County Fire Rescue (CCFR) by phone at 352-527-5406. Visit its website at www.citruscountyfire.com, Facebook Page at Citrus County Fire Rescue or Twitter at CitrusCoFire.