A Kenosha County man is sharing his harrowing experience after lithium-ion batteries from a new drone destroyed his family home in May.
"I didn't think a battery that size would take my house down in 45 minutes," Dustin Harpe said.
READ ALSO: Southwest will require chargers be kept out while in use due to fire concerns
All that remains of Harpe's home is wood planks and rubble, burying years of memories and belongings. He built the house for his family in 2013.
Surveillance video from his office shows where the destruction originated. Lithium-ion batteries for a new drone he purchased were charging on his desk when they began to melt, smoke, and eventually explode.
"That's my daughter's room, her closet is just to the right there you can see the shelves there," Harpe said, pointing to the ruins. "And that's the window in my office, everything else was just blown out."
Watch: Kenosha County man warns others after lithium-ion batteries destroy his home
When TMJ4's Mariam Mackar asked if this was his first time charging these batteries, Harpe confirmed it was.
"Yes. First time they were plugged in," he said.
Fortunately, Harpe, his wife, and their four children were not home when the fire broke out. Tragically, their three pets did not survive the flames.
The timing of Harpe's decision to leave home that day likely saved his life. After an accident nine years ago left him quadriplegic, he tells Mackar would not have been able to escape on his own.
"I was really close to just getting back in bed because I wasn't feeling very good. I don't know what made me change my mind," Harpe said. "If I'm stuck in bed by myself I'm like a turtle on my back, you know, I can't get up or get out."
Harpe said he's sharing his story in hopes of warning others about the risks lithium batteries can hold.
"It's not something that I think most people think about, that something that small can cause a problem that big," Harpe said.
Firefighters recommend charging batteries like these outside in the shade if possible. Otherwise, they suggest monitoring them as they charge in safe locations like fireproof bags and non-flammable spaces.
Once the debris is cleared, Harpe plans to rebuild a new home on the same lot, this time with added firewall protection.
"I'm just hopeful that people will see this and take some precautions to protect themselves and their family," Harpe said.
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