A newly surfaced video shows a rather ironic incident where a dog owned by an assistant fire chief in North Carolina inadvertently set off a small fire in a house. The culprit? A chewed-up lithium-ion battery.

The Chapel Hill Fire Department shared the footage last Monday, revealing that Assistant Fire Chief David Sasser’s dog, Colton, was behind the unexpected blaze.

The fire department reported that the battery in question was fully charged, disconnected, and not under any recall, yet it was not stored in a secure manner.

“Colton is usually a good boy, but he decided to go counter-surfing while his owners were out and got his paws on a device containing a lithium-ion battery,” the fire department explained in a Facebook post.

The incident, which took place in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was humorously documented with the fire department’s post showing Colton as the unwitting cause of the household fire. (Chapel Hill Fire Department/Facebook)

“Colton was able to get the battery, break its protective features by chewing on it, and ended up causing a fire,” the department added.

Fortunately, Colton escaped with only minor smoke exposure, and the house remained largely intact, with only a rug sustaining damage.

Colton sits outside next to fire department staff after sparking flames inside a Chapel Hill home. (Chapel Hill Fire Department/Facebook)

Colton “now safely hangs out in a crate when his humans are away,” the department said.

The fire department used the incident to stress the importance of properly charging, storing and handling lithium-ion batteries.

Colton receives pets after sparking a small house fire in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  (Chapel Hill Fire Department/Facebook)

“They store a lot of energy in a small place, from power tools and headphones to laptops and smart watches. If overcharged or damaged, these batteries can overheat, start a fire, or explode,” the department said in a separate post on Facebook.  

“We want to encourage the public to ensure they have working smoke alarms, be mindful of all Lithium battery-operated devices, and have an escape plan in the event of a fire,” the department told Fox News Digital on Monday.