Fire Destroys Large Detached Garage In Cottage Hill For Second Time In Four Years

September 1, 2024

For the second time in just over four years, fire destroyed a large, detached garage in Cottage Hill on Saturday afternoon.

The fire on Williams Ditch Road east of Handy Road was reported about 3:15 p.m. The first units for Escambia County Fire Rescue arrived to find the two-car garage fully involved in fire. Firefighters immediately went to work to prevent the fire from spreading to a nearby home.

The homeowner tells NorthEscambia.com that radio-controlled car batteries had been placed on chargers in the garage just before the fire. Escambia County Fire Rescue conducted the investigation and determined lithium-ion batteries on the charger caused the fire. .

The garage had been rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire about 8 p.m. on April 27, 2020. Information on the cause of that fire was not available Saturday.

Pictured above and first two photos below Fire rips through a large, detached garage in Cottage Hill Saturday afternoon. Picture bottom photos: The same garage burned in April 2020. NorthEscambia.com and reader submitted photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

3 Responses to “Fire Destroys Large Detached Garage In Cottage Hill For Second Time In Four Years”

  1. Bill on September 2nd, 2024 12:20 pm

    A friend that’s been an arson investigator for years said NEVER charge a warm to hot battery . He also said he’d never leave one charging for long periods–overnight unattended.ⁿ

  2. anne on September 1st, 2024 11:37 am

    These batteries will take the house down if the garage is attached. Very scary thought.

  3. CDPJR263 on September 1st, 2024 7:05 am

    This getting way to common with lithium battery chargers. I wonder how much longer it will take for this to become another way for insurance companies to charge more if you have any kind of “lithium battery charger” in your house, garage or car.????
    I have 3 chargers in my shop and I “try” not to leave them overnight charging…but… that’s almost impossible to do if you need them the next day.
    We just be as safe as we can.





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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News