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Revision as of 10:26, 18 July 2023
This is a public resource for documenting publicly-available data on battery energy storage failure events from around the world. All information included is available in the linked public documents. If there is a public event that is not included in the BESS Fire Event Database, please email the relevant information and link to supporting info to our Storage Safety email.
If you would like to be notified when a new event is added to this database or are interested in other EPRI energy storage safety research resources and opportunities please reach out to our Storage Safety email.
Stationary Energy Storage Failure Events
This table tracks utility and C&I scale energy storage failure events with publicly available information.
Note: Missing values in this table reflect unknowns.
Figure 1. A breakdown of the stationary energy storage failure events from the above table.
Other Energy Storage Failure Events
This table tracks other energy storage failure events for scenarios that do not fit the criteria of the table above. This could include energy storage failures in settings like electric transportation, recycling, manufacturing, etc.
Note: Missing values in this table reflect unknowns.
Fire started in a shipping container used to store battery modules at Xerotech battery facility. Damaged batteries were isolated to prevent spread to other parts of facility. Crews have been using water to moderate overheating. Water is being recirculated to prevent runoff contamination.
A fire and explosion occured at a lithium ion battery recycling plant. Residents north and west of Fredericktown were told to evacuate if they could smell smoke. The evacuation order was revised within a couple hours to cover only residents (approx. 25 homes) living on the same road as the recycling plant. Other residents were asked to shelter in-place. The fire was controlled after 3 days and hot spots requiring fire suppression remained 8 days later. The EPA conducted air monitoring and found that concentrations of contaminants remained below thresholds. 2 days after the fire broke out, a 3 mile fish kill was discovered in Little St. Francis River. Firefighting foam is hypothesized to be the cause. Drinking water was not affected.
A truck hauling 60,000 lbs of lithium ion batteries overturned and resulted in a deflagration and a fire. The freeway and bridge were shut down along with 6 port terminals. Firefighters utilized a defensive firefighting strategy to monitor and contain the fire. After 24 hours, the smoldering container was moved off the road to an open lot for monitoring, and the roads were re-opened after hazardous materials were cleared.
A container storing 15,000 lbs of lithium ion batteries on land caught fire at the Port of Montreal. Firefighters sprayed the container with water to cool it without opening the container. The City of Montreal ordered a lockdown for nearby residents due to concerns about the smoke.
A semi-truck hauling lithium ion batteries sideswiped another semi-truck headed in the opposite direction, shortly after midnight on I-95. The resulting fire was extinguished and the road cleared by a HAZMAT crew. The road was reopened approximately 18h after the crash was reported.
A group of batteries that was intended for disposal and was being temporarily stored at the site caught fire. An employee used a forklift to move the burning storage unit to prevent propagation, and was suffered minor injuries due to the fumes and smoke. This incident is the third in a series of incidents at the Suncycle site.
A truck hauling lithium ion batteries was involved in a crash, overturning the truck and resulting in a fire. The I-15 freeway, a major artery between South California and Las Vegas, was shut down for two days. Several drivers stuck in the resulting traffic and high temperatures of the day experienced heat-related medical issues.
This incident is the second in a series of incidents at the Suncycle site. The fire department used a controlled burn approach to avoid costly disposal of contaminated firewater. The fire was extinguished after 12 hours. Nearby residents were advised to keep windows closed due to smoke.
A single battery cell in the factory caught fire and spread to the 35,000 battery cells stored on the factory's second floor, producing a series of explosions. 22 workers were killed and 8 were injured in the fire.
