North Carolina ? Lenovo Inc. recalled about 100,000 laptop computer batteries Thursday, warning they could overheat and cause a fire.

The battery recall was the second for the company in the past six months and comes as Lenovo, the world’s No. 3 computer maker, tries to gain ground on its better-known competitors.

The latest recall involves batteries made by Japan’s Sanyo Electric Co. and follows four reports of overheating. In one case, a user suffered minor eye irritation, the company said.

The Chinese PC maker, which has its world headquarters in Research Triangle Park, said consumers should stop using the recalled products immediately.

In September, IBM Corp. and Lenovo said they were seeking the recall of 526,000 rechargeable, lithium-ion Sony batteries purchased with ThinkPad computers after one of them caught fire at Los Angeles International Airport.

More information is online at www.lenovo.com/batteryprogram.