This was one of the weirder things I have ever had happened. We were getting ready to leave our cabin. On the way out I grabbed a couple of things off the counter and through them in my pocket. What I picked up was an old battery I had replaced in the fire detector (we had already emptied out the garbage) and small coil of hollow core lead, and my cell phone. About a half hour down the road I felt something warm in my pocket. I ignored it a first, but it kept getting warmer. Finally I dug around in my pocket and found that the battery had a reaction with the lead or phone and was almost too hot to touch. I had no idea that it could happen. I also wonder how hot it could have gotten, especially if it was a new battery. Anyone else ever have something like this happen?

could have blew up...just touching the terminals together w/lead. Could have been much worse

Imagine boiling battery acid and shrapnel all over what used to be your scrotum.

Stick that battery in a wad of steel wool and flame on! Yes, 9-volts are bad that way.

One of the fire making techniques taught the Scouts. Battery and a bit of steel wool. If you have some fuel that triangle is happy.

Why would you want to start a fire in the store? Never mind. (packing along steel wool and a battery on a Boy Scout camping trip? )