Fire crews in La Verne were monitoring a second battery unit Wednesday after a lithium battery fire at a Metropolitan Water District facility prompted evacuations and shelter-in-place orders in the neighborhood. The incident happened near a solar panel field at the agency’s La Verne site, which also houses the Weymouth Water Treatment Plant.
La Verne fire officials said heat from the original fire caused the adjacent battery unit, which is the same size, to see its internal temperature climb overnight from the 70s to nearly 90 degrees. Crews reported smoke and popping sounds from the unit, raising concerns about another fire or a possible explosion.
The fire led to evacuation orders and shelter-in-place instructions near Bonita Avenue and Wheeler Avenue, and Grace Elementary School was closed Wednesday. La Verne University, which had been under a shelter-in-place order, resumed normal operations Wednesday.
Officials said drones were being used to track temperatures at both battery units, and air-quality testing had not found dangerous toxic substances. The Metropolitan Water District said the fire has not affected the water supply, while the cause remains under investigation.
Source:ABC7
