One of the largest battery plants in the world has gone up in flames, forcing up to 1,500 people to evacuate the area.
The huge fire, which broke out at the Vistra Energy lithium battery plant in Northern California, sent plumes of toxic fumes into the air. However, officials said the blaze is expected to remain contained in the building. It’s also nowhere near the wildfires in Los Angeles.
Fortunately, there has been no injuries. All site personnel had been evacuated and are accounted for.
According to a Monterey Sheriff official, the best approach for the fire at the energy storage facility is to let the batteries and building burn out. This isn’t uncommon for lithium ion battery fires as they burn very hot – much more so than typical fires – which makes them difficult to put out.
Vistra Corp has not yet made a statement regarding the fire’s potential financial impact.
However, the blaze has already shook up the battery storage industry, with some calling it ‘a wake-up call’. Glenn Church, the Monterey County Supervisor, said at a briefing on Friday morning that there ‘has to be a safe battery system in place’ if companies are ‘moving ahead with sustainable energy’.
While battery storage is crucial for the grid as they help store excess energy from renewable sources, the batteries are nearly all lithium, which means they can catch fire spontaneously and burn very hot while releasing toxic fumes into the atmosphere.
Local residents from the area have been evacuated, with many staying at temporary shelters. Others who have gone to family or friends are advised to turn of their air conditioning and close their windows due to the air pollution.
The senior director of community affairs at Vistra Brad Watson said the air quality at the battery plant is currently being tested by the Environmental Protection Agency. They have also hired an air consultant to check for levels of pollution in nearby areas and will share the results publicly when they become available.
According to Kelsey Scanlon, who leads the county’s Department of Emergency Management, the blaze has sent plumes of hydrogen fluoride into the atmosphere, which is a cause for concern as it can affect our health in several ways.
For example, it can irritate the throat, mouth, eyes, lungs, and nose.
While none of the current air quality monitoring systems have detected toxic gases in the nearby areas, Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said they won’t be lifting the evacuation order until a more advanced air monitoring system arrives.
It’s currently unknown what caused the fire at the battery plant. Once it burns out, an official investigation will start.
Previously in 2021 and 2022, the battery plant had experienced two ‘overheating events’ when the lithium ion batteries got wet.
Some experts are saying that safer batteries must be used. Improvements with fire prevention measures can also mitigate the risk of fire.
