Home Fires Sparked By 9 Volt Batteries in Junk Drawer-Truth!

Home Fires Sparked By 9 Volt Batteries in Junk Drawer-Truth!

 
Summary of eRumor:
Warnings and YouTube Videos alleging that house fires can be easily started by 9 volt batteries that are kept with other items.
The Truth:
The warnings are real and the first video is from a news article that appeared on August 8, 2012 on WBZ News, a CBS affiliate in Boston, MA.
The second video was made by producers of the website KidsandCharacter.com after they experienced a home fire started by a used 9 volt battery that was replaced from a smoke detector and stored in their garage.
These batteries have terminals that are close together and both videos suggest that putting a strip of electrical tape over the terminals can help prevent a fire.
Posted 1/30/14