A Florida woman narrowly avoided a violent death after buying a second-hand wheelchair at a thrift store that exploded in a huge fireball outside her home.
Alexandra Anaya, from Hollywood, heard a clicking sound coming from the electric mobility device on Sunday morning, according to Hollywood Fire Rescue and Beach Safety.
Fearing something was terribly wrong, Anaya pushed the lithium battery-powered chair she'd bought for a relative out onto the driveway of her home, NBC Miami reported.
Dramatic Ring Doorbell camera footage showed Anaya getting away from the chair as it began to whistle, before erupting in a huge fireball.
An enormous white stream of sparks was the first sign of trouble, before the entire wheelchair was consumed by a blinding white fireball that destroyed it.
'Fire! Fire!' Anaya could be heard shouting as the blinding explosion subsided and the wheelchair was left ablaze, billowing black smoke.
Shortly before the wheelchair detonated, the woman had been charging it with a non-manufacturer charger, 'which can overload or overheat a battery,' according to Hollywood Fire Rescue and Beach Safety.
Anaya told NBC Miami that after hearing the clicking sounds, she put her hand on the wheelchair's battery and it was hot to the touch, so she looked up what the problem could be.
A Hollywood, Florida, homeowner avoided dying or burning her house down by moving a lithium battery-powered wheelchair outside after it made clicking sounds. She is pictured observing the wheelchair
After the wheelchair began whistling, the woman bolted towards her front door as the battery spewed sparks. The woman's head can be seen in a blur while she ran
The stream of sparks grew before the battery fully exploded as the homeowner watched from a safe distance
A large, blinding white fireball engulfed the chair for several seconds. The woman had reportedly been charging the chair with a non-manufacturer charger
'It said "imminent danger, put it on cement or somewhere where other things won't catch on fire,"' she told the outlet.
Hollywood Fire Rescue and Beach Safety said that Anaya saved 'her house and her family from catastrophe' by choosing not to ignore the suspicious clicking sounds that had started coming from the wheelchair.
The department also said that the homeowner's experience serves as a valuable reminder 'that when it comes to lithium batteries, small warning signs matter.'
The department took the opportunity to share six lithium battery safety tips, beginning with the recommendation that it is important to stop using a device if one notices clicking, popping, hissing or swelling.
The department also recommended moving devices to non-combustible areas if it is still safe, always using the correct charger, checking batteries for excess heat while charging, never leaving charging batteries unattended and calling 911 if there is smoke or 'signs of thermal runaway.'
Thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries is an uncontrollable increase in temperature that leads to the battery exploding and releasing toxic gas, as in the case of the wheelchair.
The large white fireball quickly subsided into a smaller one. Hollywood fire officials said the woman's quick thinking saved 'her house and her family from catastrophe'
The wheelchair was left ablaze after the fireball subsided. Hollywood fire officials shared lithium battery safety tips along with the dramatic video of the wheelchair exploding
Warning signs include the battery swelling, hissing or clicking sounds and a burning smell.
Thermal runaway can be caused by manufacturing defects, overcharging or physical damage to the battery, such as punctures or dents.
The best way to prevent lithium-ion batteries from becoming unstable is to avoid charging them in very hot or very cold temperatures and to store them away from direct sunlight or hot environments.