Fire at Spokane, WA, Lithium-ion Battery Factory Forces Evacuations
The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
(TNS)
Feb. 25—A lithium battery factory was heavily damaged by fire Tuesday morning, temporarily forcing widespread evacuations in the Hillyard Neighborhood over environmental concerns.
A neighbor called 911 to report the fire at 4019 E. Central Ave. just after 4 a.m., said Spokane Fire Department spokesman Justin de Ruyter.
The business, MaxAmps Lithium Batteries, was founded in 2004 and assembles batteries for drones, vehicles and robotics, according to its website. The warehouse was built in 1993 and is owned by H&E Rental, which is based in Buckeye, Arizona, according to Spokane County property records. H&E bought the building in 2012.
Firefighters entered the building but backed out when it was determined conditions were too dangerous, de Ruyter said. The surrounding area was evacuated in the early morning, but by midday a perimeter had been set at the edge of the property.
It was the largest battery fire in Spokane, de Ruyter said.
Three residents in a home north of the building remain evacuated and may be displaced for several days as the residence is decontaminated. Nearby businesses remain unaffected, and de Ruyter said the Fire Department is "feeling pretty safe" regarding the possible health impacts to Hillyard residents close to the fire.
No injuries were reported related to the incident as of Tuesday afternoon.
Because of the chemicals involved in the battery fire, it is expected to continue smoldering for a day or two. The Fire Department will remain on-site to put out any flare-ups. The large flames observed in the early morning were in part caused by a damaged gas meter during the building's partial collapse, causing an ignited gas leak.
The fire department's equipment will have to be decontaminated, de Ruyter said.
Department of Ecology hazardous materials specialist Sean Thompson said it is a "blessing" that contamination hasn't gone beyond the property. Water runoff is contained on the site, and air quality in the area does not seem to have been impacted, he said. But many questions remain over what kind of contamination can be caused by a lithium battery fire.
"What's in the smoke? What's in the fire? What is the contamination? All those things you would expect an answer to at a national level are not there," Thompson said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Officials said the fire is a reminder to the public to dispose of lithium batteries found in electric devices at a transfer station rather than a trash can. Improperly disposed batteries can cause fires in garbage trucks and landfills. More information and a list of local transfer stations can be found at batterysmartspokane.com.
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