ALTAMONTE Springs, Fla. – A homeowner thought he got a good deal on a remote control car at a flea market. He now believes the lithium-ion battery may have caused the fire.

David Tolbert showed News 6 the damage after a fire Sunday night, believed to have started from charging a lithium-ion battery in his laundry room.

Tolbert said he and his family had been out to dinner when they came back to a blocked street filled with emergency vehicles.

“We went out to eat Sunday night, came home, and all of a sudden, between stop sign and stop sign, the whole road is blocked,” Tolbert said.

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Seminole County investigators believe the fire was started by a lithium-ion battery. He explained that he had bought a used remote control car at a flea market in Mount Dora, thinking he had found a great deal.

“I never used the battery,” Tolbert said. “For me, it was my first time using it.”

Seminole County The Fire Department says it has responded to 20 lithium-ion battery fires only between April and August.

Seminole County officials are now warning residents to use only compatible chargers, especially when dealing with used products.

“As soon as I said lithium-ion battery, he said ‘yeah, I can see it now,'” Tolbert said.

Tolbert admitted he had heard of incidents involving lithium-ion batteries, but never thought it would happen to him.

“I’ve watched your videos before, but don’t think it’s going to happen to you. I was like, well, it’s not a skateboard, it’s not a car, it’s just a little battery,” he said.

Following a recent News 6 investigationthat revealed there are no state fire codes for lithium-ion battery storage, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law in May allowing state fire marshals to establish new safety standards to prevent battery fires.

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