Electric skateboard sparks fire inside Albert Lea home

(ABC 6 News) – An Albert Lea home is left with thousands of dollars in damage Tuesday afternoon after a fire started inside.

According to Albert Lea Fire Rescue., crews responded to a home on the 1200 block of Southview Lane around 9:30 a.m. for smoke coming out of a bedroom window.

Once on-scene, firefighters say there was also smoke coming from the back of the home as well.

Officials with ALFR say there was a person inside the house at the time of the fire but was able to get out safely before firefighters arrived. That individual was seen and treated by Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service.

According to Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Laskowske, the cause of the fire is believed to be from a battery malfunction while an electric skateboard was charging. ALFR officials are reminding the public to only use approved charges for various devices and to avoid charging lithium batteries inside homes.

There are around $5,000 dollars in damages to the home, according to ALFR.

The Albert Lea Police Dept. also assisted at the scene.