On Thursday January 16, 2025, a fire broke out in a battery factory in Moss Landinga small town located in California. As reported by our colleagues at KSBW, the installation belongs to Vistra Energyone of the largest energy providers in the United States. It is the largest battery storage facility in the world, says the California television station.
“Earlier this afternoon, Vistra personnel requested assistance from the North Monterey County Fire Department after a fire was detected at the Phase I energy storage facility, d with a capacity of 300 MW, located on the site of the Moss Landing power station. All employees on site have been safely evacuated”explains Vistra Energy in a press release.
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A dangerous chain reaction
The flames have destroyed 75% of the factory. Vistra Energy’s fire suppression system was unable to contain the blaze. In fact, the fire caused thermal fugue, or thermal runaway, among lithium-ion batteries. The heat caused all the batteries on site to overheat, which contributed to aggravating the situation. This chain reaction led to chemical reactions within the accumulators, contributing to complicating the task of firefighters.
They also preferred to retreat. The firefighters considered that it was necessary too much water to be able to hope to overcome the flames. They simply secured the perimeter and evacuated the scene. The thermal escape phenomenon forces firefighters to wait for the fire to extinguish itself.
State of emergency at Moss Landing
Due to overheating batteries, the fire continued throughout the night. After a period of calm, the fire even started again during the day on Friday. Local authorities briefly declared a state of emergency at Moss Landing. The entire locality was evacuated. Roads were blocked and schools were closed.
-The fumes emanating from the installation were considered toxic. This is why residents were recommended to stay indoors, close windows and doors, and turn off their ventilation systems. People who absolutely must go out were invited to wear a health mask. On Saturday, the flames finally subsided. Three days later, the emergency measures taken by the municipality were lifted.
Authorities fear the fire may have compromised water quality around the site. It is possible that toxic substances emitted by batteries contaminate water. To find out, the Environmental Protection Agency is currently carrying out a series of tests. For the moment, the origin of the fire remains a mystery.
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Source :
KSBW
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