Recently Samsung recalled 2.5 million phones, and the FAA has banned them in checked baggage.
Odds are your smartphone or your child's toy will not start on fire, but there are also several things you can do to improve those odds.
A CBS News story recently showed how big of a problem the battery fire can become. A man found his car completely burned out.
"That's the last thought in my head, is that a brand new device. Something as simple as a phone is going to burn down my car or house."
Batallion Chief Mike Top, with Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, is not shocked. Top knows big fires do not always start with big explosions.
"One of the questions we always ask our grade school kids when we're doing our grade school education is, how many matches would it take to burn down the school. You know, (we get) 100 or 200 (as an answer). All it takes is one match," Top said.
In this case, that one match could be any little device that may require an lithium ion battery. That is why Top says to pay attention.
"If the phone starts feeling warmer than normal, if you feel like there could be a bump or it starts to misshapen a bit. That could be another warning sign the battery is getting ready to fail," Top said.
If you notice sparks or flames, he says get it away from other objects and extinguish it. Top also recommends only using chargers, replacement batteries, or cords approved by the company.
"Highly recommend you read your safety manual," Top said.
So far, Top says nobody has called the department about any local battery fires. He hopes his advice keeps it that way.
"My perfect world would be we don't have to respond to fires anymore and nobody's getting hurt anymore," Top said.
Top says if you have any problems with a lithium ion battery in any of your devices, you should contact the store or the manufacturer. One other bit of advice, when you charge your phone, keep it away from things that are flammable. Do not throw it under the bed or on top of a pile of laundry.
Odds are your smartphone or your child's toy will not start on fire, but there are also several things you can do to improve those odds.
A CBS News story recently showed how big of a problem the battery fire can become. A man found his car completely burned out.
"That's the last thought in my head, is that a brand new device. Something as simple as a phone is going to burn down my car or house."
Batallion Chief Mike Top, with Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, is not shocked. Top knows big fires do not always start with big explosions.
"One of the questions we always ask our grade school kids when we're doing our grade school education is, how many matches would it take to burn down the school. You know, (we get) 100 or 200 (as an answer). All it takes is one match," Top said.
In this case, that one match could be any little device that may require an lithium ion battery. That is why Top says to pay attention.
"If the phone starts feeling warmer than normal, if you feel like there could be a bump or it starts to misshapen a bit. That could be another warning sign the battery is getting ready to fail," Top said.
If you notice sparks or flames, he says get it away from other objects and extinguish it. Top also recommends only using chargers, replacement batteries, or cords approved by the company.
"Highly recommend you read your safety manual," Top said.
So far, Top says nobody has called the department about any local battery fires. He hopes his advice keeps it that way.
"My perfect world would be we don't have to respond to fires anymore and nobody's getting hurt anymore," Top said.
Top says if you have any problems with a lithium ion battery in any of your devices, you should contact the store or the manufacturer. One other bit of advice, when you charge your phone, keep it away from things that are flammable. Do not throw it under the bed or on top of a pile of laundry.