Highway Closed as 3-Alarm Blaze Erupts at Lithium Battery Plant – Fire Officials Can Only Watch it Burn
A lithium plant belonging to Livent Corp. in Bessemer City, North Carolina, caught fire early Monday, raising concerns over the safety of lithium-ion batteries. The plant produces solid lithium metal ingots and battery components for electric vehicles. The fire was declared a three-alarm blaze, and firefighters let the fire burn itself out. Although no evacuation order was issued, residents near the plant were told to stay indoors and not drive around roadblocks. (wbtv.com)
The incident comes after a series of lithium-ion battery fires that have led to blazing wrecks along highways and buildings that go up in flames. (westernjournal.com) In March, a blaze in New York City left six people dead, highlighting the challenges posed by lithium-ion technology in transportation devices such as e-bikes and electric vehicles. (ir.livent.com) (wcnc.com)
“In all of these fires, these lithium-ion fires, it is not a slow burn; there’s not a small amount of fire, it literally explodes,” said FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh. “It’s a tremendous volume of fire as soon as it happens, and it’s very difficult to extinguish and so it’s particularly dangerous.”
Dylan Khoo, an analyst at tech intelligence firm ABI Research, said that “when a fire does happen, it’s much more dangerous.” The Livent Corp. (t.co) fire raises concerns over the safety of lithium-ion batteries and the need for better safety measures to prevent such incidents from happening.
The rise of lithium-ion technology in transportation devices has led to new challenges for firefighters, who struggle to extinguish the fires. Lithium-ion battery fires have led to blazing wrecks along highways that take firefighters hours to extinguish and buildings that go up like a torch from fires that cannot be swiftly brought under control.
The Livent Corp. fire is a reminder of the need for better safety measures and regulations to prevent such incidents from happening. The safety of lithium-ion batteries is a critical issue that needs to be addressed to ensure the safety of people and property. As the use of lithium-ion batteries continues to grow, it is essential to take steps to prevent fires and ensure that they are quickly extinguished if they do occur.
In conclusion, the Livent Corp. (cnn.com) fire in North Carolina is a wake-up call for the industry to take battery safety seriously. The safety of lithium-ion batteries is a critical issue that needs to be addressed to prevent fires and ensure the safety of people and property. It is time for the industry to work together to develop better safety measures and regulations to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
