CA: Metropolitan Transit District Has Lithium-ion Battery Fire

The Santa Barbara City Fire Department responded to a reported battery fire at the Metropolitan Transit District maintenance yard on Olive St. the morning of October 18 at 9:30 a.m.

The incident involved a bank of lithium-ion batteries that were stored in a covered outdoor location. MTD employees had noticed the smoke coming from the batteries and were attempting to extinguish the fire using dry chemical extinguishers and a Class D Metal extinguisher when firefighters arrived on scene. The Hazardous Material Unit was dispatched to assist with the incident due to the highly reactive and flammable nature of the material involved.

After considerable effort, the fire was ultimately extinguished utilizing two Class D Metal fire extinguishers designed to suppress flammable metal fires. An AMR ambulance was requested by the incident commander to evaluate 2 employees with exposure to the smoke and dry chemical powder. Both employees were evaluated by paramedics at the scene and declined further treatment.

The fire appeared to have been caused by a small amount of water leaking through the metal roof and onto the batteries, possibly causing an external short between the battery terminals. Firefighters and MTD employees used hand-trucks to isolate the adjacent batteries while the involved battery was de-energized.

The quick actions of the MTD employees is to be commended. Their familiarity with the battery materials as well as the location and proper use of the fire extinguishers, helped to minimize the potential of this incident. The Santa Barbara City Fire Department recommends that all employees working in an occupational setting become familiar with the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) in their workplace. 

Employee knowledge of hazardous materials can have a positive effect on the outcome of an incident should one occur. Readily available MSDS information is an OSHA requirement if hazardous materials are used or stored in the workplace. If employees don’t have access to this information, they need to ask their employer to make it available.

With Hoverboard fires and the recent increase in cell phone battery fires, lithium-ion batteries have received their fair share of attention lately. Lithium-ion batteries are capable of storing a lot of energy in a small space and can discharge very rapidly if they are short-circuited. Internal shorts due to a manufacture defect can lead to overheating and possibly spontaneous thermal runaway. Cell phone battery fires can be difficult to extinguish as the battery is incased in the shell of the phone.

In the event you do experience a fire related to a lithium-ion battery in a consumer product, water can be safely used to cool the device. While applying water may not completely extinguish the fire, it can prevent the build-up of heat that can lead to thermal runaway. If you are indoors and the device can be safely moved, relocate it to an outdoor location until the fire department arrives. Always ask someone to call 911 before attempting to control the situation yourself.