REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — A new lithium-ion battery manufacturer in Rexburg invited local firefighters and first responders to visit their facility and receive education on how to correctly fight battery fires.
Grand Teton Energy Systems hosted a battery explosion demonstration to show how dangerous a battery fire can be.
“More and more batteries are being incorporated in the household. There’s not a lot of knowledge on to how to go about handling those, as well as knowing the proper areas to be charging batteries. So we wanted to show the first responders, potentially, what happens when batteries get too hot and have thermal runaway,” said Brad Hill, Operations Manager, at Grand Teton Energy Systems.
The Madison County Fire Department in Rexburg was one of the local agencies to attend the training.
“There are batteries all around us everywhere, and we just need to be prepared in case it’s a bad day and one of them explodes,” said Ellis Johnston, Battalion Chief, Madison County Fire Department.
Grand Teton Energy Systems showed different types of battery explosions, including types that can occur inside a home.
Hill reminds us that batteries are safe overall, but in certain situations, they can be dangerous.
“A fire extinguisher will contain it, but it will not put it out. It will help keep the heat down and help it from spreading,” said Hill. “That’s why we do ask with the batteries to locate them away from flammable things. And also at least on an exterior wall, if possible.”
While reports of fires caused by batteries are not common in our area, they still play a role in many fires.
“Think almost every time we go to fires, there’s always some batteries burning and they’re not generally very bad. But we want to be prepared,” said Chief Johnston.
Hill warns people that it is extremely important to follow charging instructions for all products with batteries. To avoid these fires, it’s key to know how long to charge and how often.
