A commercial building in Mid-City, Los Angeles, was the site of a lithium-ion battery fire on Tuesday afternoon. Firefighters responded to a call that came in at 12:23 p.m., directing them to the Audi Beverly Hills service station located at 2340 S. Fairfax Ave., as reported by Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).
The LAFD crews, upon arrival, were greeted by light smoke emerging from a sizable building. They were to quickly ascertain the source—a lithium-ion battery in flames. This incident was contained as firefighters transported the battery onto an engine lift outside the building, which prevented the fire from further penetrating the structure. According to Stewart, "The battery is now on an engine lift, outside the building."
Smoke was found inside the commercial building, yet the fire did not spread beyond the battery. Teams utilized blowers to ventilate the area effectively. A hazardous materials squad from the LAFD was dispatched to the scene, following standard procedure for battery fires of this nature, all aimed to ensure the safety of the public and first responders alike.
The presence of the LAFD Hazardous Materials Squad is indicative of the specific risks associated to managing lithium-ion battery incidents. Firefighters set up blowers to methodically clear the smoke from within. In a statement obtained by MyNewsLA, Stewart noted, "Crews used blowers to clear the smoke from the building and a hazardous materials team was summoned, as is standard in cases where such batteries catch fire."
Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the wake of the fire. The LAFD has announced that no additional information or updates are expected following the successful mitigation of the incident.
