VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Ahead of National Fire Prevention Week, the Virginia Beach Fire Department is sounding the alarm about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries.

Everything we buy now -- from e-vehicles, power tools, cellphones, and toys -- contains lithium-ion batteries. While they're generally safe, there are some risks.

"Rarely is a battery sitting alone," said Virginia Beach Fire Captain Kevin Lehlback. "It's sitting on a tool bench or a shelf with WD-40 [oil] or dirty rags."

Lehlback and his team led a demonstration on Monday morning, simulating how a fire starts. He said most of these batteries are stored in a shed or garage, which often have no smoke alarms to alert neighbors.

That's why many of these fires are only discovered after the damage is done, and they are hard to put

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