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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Fire breaks out in Escondido SDG&E battery storage facility |
| 2024-09-07 |
| ESCONDIDO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Fire crews are battling a fire at a San Diego Gas and Electric-operated battery storage facility in Escondido that broke out Thursday afternoon. According to Escondido Fire Division Chief Tyler Batson, crews were first notified of the fire at 12:09 p.m. as a ringing alarm and a smoke check in the battery bank area of the facility, located at 571 Enterprise St. Upon arrival, fire crews noticed smoke was seen coming from one of the battery storage trailers. Technicians on board confirmed a small fire was burning in one of the lithium-ion battery rank storage, Batson added. A 1st alarm commercial fire response was called, with SDG&E’s contracted fire brigade, county emergency response and Escondido hazmat crews responding to the scene alongside Escondido Fire Department personnel. As of 4 p.m., the fire remains active and has not been extinguished. According to Batson, experts said water cannot be put on the fire due to the involved chemicals, so their intervention is focusing on the area surrounding it. "Fire suppression efforts are now being made to protect the neighboring battery storage units to make sure that they don’t light on fire as well," Batson said. "The plan is really let what’s on fire burn and we’ll safely protect the areas around it to keep it from spreading." A mandatory evacuation order has been issued for the area around the facility, which is made up of largely commercial and industrial buildings, as a safety precaution. The order applies to business located east of Alpine Street, south of Mission Road, west of Enterprise Street and north of Auto Park Way, the city of Escondido said in a Facebook post Thursday afternoon. Some homes are located near the fire, although it is not believed to be an immediate threat to residents at this time, Batson said. On Thursday evening, the fire prompted the Escondido Union School District to announce the closures of Carolyn Gilbert Education Center, the Del Dios Academy of Arts and Sciences and Rock Springs Elementary schools for Friday. No additional details were immediately available, including what caused the battery storage facility to erupt in flames. According to Batson, crews will remain on scene until the flames subside. "What I’ve been told by SDG&E is that, best case, this fire burns itself out in about 12 hours, worst case, about 48 hours," Batson said. Escondido is about 15 to 20 miles inland. Friday evening now, the wind is not blowing at all, a haze is in the air and it stinks on the coast. Related: Escondido: 2021-09-18 Poway synagogue shooter avoids death penalty with guilty plea Escondido: 2021-08-19 San Diego County board meeting is hijacked by anti-vaxxers who accuse members of ‘crimes against humanity' and being Nazis for debating mask and vaccine mandates Escondido: 2019-10-18 Border Patrol Arrests Sex Offender ‐ Living in Escondido but Ilegal |
| Posted by:Abu Uluque |
| #7 Lithium & oxidation products can be pretty toxic. |
| Posted by: Squinty+Hatfield8204 2024-09-07 16:30 |
| #6 Like to see the environmental impact study of what is downwind of the 'smoke'. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2024-09-07 13:28 |
| #5 My mechanic's car repair shop caught fire and burned because a small lithium ion battery on the security system leaked and caught fire. 3 cars were destroyed as well as the entire facility. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2024-09-07 12:40 |
| #4 An oil storage tank is the devil I know. Lithium-ion batteries are the devil I don't know and, apparently, SDG&E doesn't either. Nor do the loony green energy politicians who don't seem to understand that so-called green energy isn't all that green. Nor do they have a plan for dealing with a lithium-ion battery fire other than to let it burn. Does anybody know the health consequences of breathing the smoke from such a fire? Kinda reminds me of Buttigieg and his East Palestine, Ohio train wreck. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2024-09-07 12:26 |
| #3 Not a bad plot for a spy novel. The ChiComs use ubiquitous Li batteries as incendiary devices with internet connections to start fires where/when they wish. Everything from cars to cell phones. Maybe a future Reacher novel. |
| Posted by: Warthog 2024-09-07 09:21 |
| #2 Except they are putting these where the energy is needed: residential areas |
| Posted by: Frank G 2024-09-07 08:42 |
| #1 Batteries are used to store energy. Sometimes the energy gets loose. Really no different than a fuel tank depot. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2024-09-07 08:38 |