If green energy is the future, bring a fire extinguisher
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Alternative energy is exploding—literally. Lithium battery fires are breaking out on highways and in factories, home garages and storage rooms.
The rise in these fires is caused by government efforts to force the adoption of “green" energy. Lithium batteries have high energy density, making them valuable for phones and portable appliances. But when they catch fire, they burn with high heat and can even blow up.
That’s why airlines prohibit lithium batteries in checked baggage. On June 24 a battery factory in Hwaseong, South Korea, caught fire, triggering explosions and killing 22 workers. Experts estimate that most were killed by toxic gases emitted by the burning batteries.
Scotland has suffered two major fires in battery-recycling centers this year. On April 8 a large fire broke out at Fenix Battery Recycling in Kilwinning. More than 40 firefighters and personnel from six different stations responded to the blaze, which burned for several days.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service urged nearby residents to remain indoors with windows closed as long as two days after the fire started. On June 23 a large fire broke out at the battery-recycling facility of WEEE Solutions in Glasgow. Eyewitnesses reported explosions, noises like gunshots, “steel flying everywhere" and a huge plume of black smoke.
Ten fire trucks were needed, and the blaze lasted four days. E-bike battery fires are a leading cause of fires in New York City, causing 270 blazes last year and killing 18 people. These have become a serious problem in Australia, Canada and other nations as well.
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