Lawn mower fire prompts warning about charging lithium-ion batteries

Jun 25, 2025

TOWN OF OSWEGATCHIE, New York (WWNY) - A garage fire in St. Lawrence County has prompted another warning from firefighters about lithium-ion batteries.

An electric lawn mower caught fire at 604 Haggert Road in the town of Oswegatchie at around 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

When volunteers from the Morristown and Brier Hill fire departments arrived on the scene, they were met by flames and heavy smoke.

Morristown Fire Chief Jay Moore said they quickly found the source of the fire and had the blaze knocked down within 2 minutes.

However, they stayed on the scene for another 2 hours to make sure the fire didn’t rekindle. Moore said it takes a lot of water to put out lithium-ion battery fires.

The garage was heavily damaged. An electric car and generator inside were also damaged.

No injuries were reported.

He said the owner of the lawnmower had been charging the machine after using it the evening before.

Moore echoed what other firefighters have told 7 News in the past, that it’s important to keep an eye on lithium-ion batteries while they’re charging and to remove them from the charger once they’re fully powered.

Earlier this month, firefighters were called to a blaze in the village of Carthage where a lithium-ion battery exploded inside a garage.

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