Student’s phone caught fire at school after it was dropped, officials say

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine (TMX) - Fire officials in Maine are warning about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries after a student’s phone ignited at school shortly after she dropped it.

The South Berwick Fire Department said crews responded to Marshwood High School shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday after the resource officer reported a “small fire” involving a cellphone.

Fire Chief Nick Hamel responded and spoke with the police officer, who said a student was carrying her phone when she dropped it on the floor on her way to class.

A short time later, the phone’s battery “began expanding, and smoking,” after it was “presumably” damaged in the fall.

The phone was immediately brought outside the school and “eventually” cooled down, the fire department said.

There was no damage to anything but the