Call Kurtis: Experts Warn Of Battery Hazards Hiding In Homes

WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- It's a hazard that may be hiding in your junk drawer – batteries. Storing them incorrectly can cause your house to catch fire.

It happened to Dave Miller.

He says a fire was sparked inside his home - forcing him to call 911.

"I have a fire. I need the fire department." Miller told a 911 operator.

He had tossed some 9-volt batteries in a paper bag for recycling.

"I had just recently changed my smoke detectors," he said. "Two batteries touched together short of the terminals, and that's what burned down my house."

Firefighter Sig Wallen showed us how quickly incorrectly stored 9=volt batteries can spark a fire in a junk drawer, putting them in with some paper clips, safety pins and nails.

When the 9-volt battery came in contact with a piece of steel wool, a small fire is created.

"Once this gets going, your whole cabinetry would start to go up [in flames]." Wallen said. "Everyone I've shown has been 'Oh my god I didn't realize.'"

So how do you protect yourself?

Don't keep aluminum foil or keys in the same drawer with 9volt batteries.

Battery store owner, Ryan Tollefson, recommends covering the tops of 9-volt batteries with tape.

"Or put them back in the original packaging," Tollefson said.

He said to store 9-volt batteries standing up.

Instead of throwing batteries away, recycle them at stores.

Many cities also have battery recycling programs that accept batteries for free.

In Sacramento, just dial 311 and they'll even come to your door and pick the batteries up.

Click here for more on battery safety.