‘A real shock;’ Children’s book sparks fire inside minivan, destroys car seat

HILDEBRAN, North Carolina — Firefighters in North Carolina are saying a children’s book started a fire inside of a mother’s minivan.

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Firefighters said the family had returned home from church and were inside their home when a neighbor noticed the smoke, our sister station WSOC-TV reported.

A family member grabbed a garden hose and was able to get the fire out.

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The George Hildebran Fire and Rescue posted photos on Facebook after they said a toddler’s book caught fire.

The book has a button to make noises and is battery-operated.

“The world itself is moving to lithium batteries which propose some of these troubles to the fire service. I don’t know if there is other than trying to keep them cool that there is any precautions,” George Hildebran Fire and Rescue Chief Bobby Craig said.

Investigators say the book was placed between the child safety see and the van seat.

They believe it was the small lithium battery that possibly overheated and started the fire.

Shawn Kirk, who lives down the street from the family with his three children says the fire is a warning to parents and others.

“No one actually thinks about stuff like that. It was a terrible thing. I’m just glad everybody was okay. It’s a blessing no one was in the car when it happened,” Kirk said.

Firefighters estimate the damages to the interior of the minivan will cost thousands of dollars.

Fire Lieutenant Connie Pollard with the George Hildebran Fire and Rescue responded to the fire and said that afterward she called her daughter who has similar books.

“It was a real shock to a lot of us because several of the firefighters have young children…I have grandchildren and immediately after leaving the scene I did a multi text and phone call to my children,” Pollard said.

The fire department is keeping the safety seat for training purposes.

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