TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — Fire crews are reminding the public to remain cautious of potential hazards following Helene, especially when it comes to electronics and other hazardous materials being submerged in water.
The warning comes as Treasure Island Fire Rescue said it has responded to at least 10 fire incidents related to lithium-ion batteries after the storm.
That includes one incident which took place shortly after 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. The fire department, along with Hazmat teams, responded to reports of an e-bike submerged in water inside the basement of Bilmar Beach Resort.
Once they were on scene, firefighters said they found a mix of materials, including gas, paint thinners, chlorine and 20 to 30 lithium-ion batteries in over six inches of leftover water from Helene.
According to fire crews, lithium-ion batteries can pose an extreme fire hazard when exposed to saltwater, which can lead to combustion even days or weeks later.
Thankfully, officials said hazmat teams at the scene were able to remove the items.
Shortly after the incident at Bilmar Beach Resort, firefighters responded to a separate fire in Sunset Beach. Once they arrived, crews said they found a pile of debris engulfed in flames on a driveway.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames.
No injuries were reported in either incident.
