The Carson City Sheriff's Office was called in to assist the Carson City Fire Department for a report of a fire at a business at Metric Way Nov. 19.
Carson City Fire Chief Sean Slamon said Wednesday that a fire off Metric Way in north Carson Tuesday was not caused by a lithium-ion battery as originally believed.
"When fire units arrived at the business (which was in Carson City’s jurisdiction), it was originally believed a lithium-ion battery may have been involved," Slamon said. "After the fire was extinguished, it was determined that the battery involved was not a lithium-ion battery. Fire crews contained the fire quickly and were able to contain the water runoff from extinguishing the fire. The fire department is working with the business to ensure proper cleanup and decontamination are completed as appropriate. Mutual aid units from East Fork, Truckee Meadows, and Central Lyon County Fire responded to assist."
Slamon said standard operations for battery fires include "removing all civilians from the fire and hazard area (life safety) and ensuring that firefighters who enter the hazard zones are wearing full personal protective equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatuses."
"For small fires, a dry chemical extinguisher may be used; for larger fires, copious amounts of water are required," he said. "With lithium-ion batteries a major concern is thermal runaway — lithium-ion batteries involved in fires have reignited over 24 hours later. Firefighters will also work to make sure hazardous runoff is contained and disposed of properly."
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The Carson City Fire Department responded to a battery fire in a manufacturing outfit off Metric Way in north Carson City at 2:41 p.m Tuesday.
CCFD Chief Sean Slamon said on scene the fire was extinguished, and there was no threat to surrounding structures or neighbors.
Slamon believed the affected battery was a lithium ion battery of a battery pack, and he was concerned about thermal reigniting. Crews remained on scene as of 3:30 p.m. with assistance from the Carson City Sheriff’s Office and Truckee Meadows, Central Lyon and East Fork firefighters.
The incident is being treated as a hazardous materials incident, “trying to make sure any runoff is contained,” according to Slamon.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, as is any damage to the building.