Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Burns in Cargo Ship’s Hold for Days Off Alaskan Coast

Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Burns in Cargo Ship’s Hold for Days Off Alaskan Coast

Last summer, I reported that tugboats finally towed a cargo ship that had burned on the North Sea for a week while carrying thousands of cars, nearly 500 supposed electric vehicles (EVs), into a Dutch port for salvaging. There were serious concerns that the damaged ship could sink and impact shipping lanes.

There was a similar incident that occurred off the Alaskan coast.

The authorities on Saturday continued to assess how to fight a fire that broke out two days ago aboard a cargo ship that is carrying nearly 2,000 tons of lithium-ion batteries and was ordered to remain off the Alaskan coast.

The U.S. Coast Guard said there were no injuries to the 19 crew members aboard the vessel, Genius Star XI, and that it remained seaworthy.

The exact cause of the fire was not known and remains under investigation. The Coast Guard was not immediately able to confirm who owns the vessel or say what other cargo it is carrying. The ship’s point of origin and destination were unavailable.

The fire broke out in cargo holds where lithium-ion batteries, which contain highly flammable materials, were being stored.

As an environmental health and safety professional, I must admit that the lack of information about the vessel and its contents is disturbing. Lithium-ion batteries can burn with intense heat, especially when in contact with water. These items are highly regulated as hazardous materials during transportation.

Fortunately, the U.S. Coast Guard now reports that the fire was out and has directed the ship to anchor near Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

The 19 crew members of the ship, Genius Star XI, were uninjured and technicians from the Salvage and Marine Firefighting team remain onboard to ensure the fire doesn’t return, according to a Coast Guard press release.

“This protected anchorage … will allow the vessel to remain stable, minimizing risk of any re-flash of the fire as we continue our response,” Capt. Chris Culpepper said in the press release, which said an investigation into the fire’s origins will begin once response efforts wrap up.

Genius Star XI was shipping lithium-ion batteries from Vietnam to San Diego. The crew alerted the Coast Guard early Thursday morning to the fire, after pumping carbon dioxide into hold No. 1 — where the blaze began — and sealing it, fearing an explosion.

Interestingly, two of Detroit’s Big Three automakers have had EV-related factory fires in recent months, and the third had to pause production of a popular model to figure out a battery fire issue.

Stellantis reported a fire at its Chrysler Tech Center in the Detroit area in November last year, but we’ve just now learned that it was related to an EV prototype. Automotive News reported that the November 19 fire came from a vehicle parked on a lift. “Crews made their way to the vehicle and found it with active fire underneath the vehicle and under the hood,” a fire report noted.

Firefighters and employees removed the vehicle with a forklift, and no injuries or structural damage were reported. Officials still don’t know the exact cause of the fire, but the report stated that workers believed it could have been related to a coolant issue.

Crosstown rival General Motors halted production at its Factory Zero in Detroit-Hamtramck in December due to a fire. The facility produces both forms of the GMC Hummer EV and the Chevrolet Silverado EV. That fire is still under investigation, but early reports lean toward a forklift puncturing a battery materials container as the cause. Early in 2023, Ford had to shutter production of the F-150 Lightning after the electric pickup caught fire in a holding lot. The Blue Oval worked with its battery supplier to revise cell production and fix the issue.

And while climate cultists and their media minions push the narrative that EV battery fires are less common…there are also fewer EVs than gasoline-fueled vehicles. Furthermore, fighting fires involving these batteries poses significant challenges.

An electric vehicle crashed and caught fire Monday night in Autauga County.

According to the Pine Level Fire Department, units were called to a traffic accident with a vehicle fire around 11:15 p.m.

At the scene, firefighters found a Tesla Model Y in flames. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency was already on the scene and had closed the interstate.

…Firefighters say due to the thermal runaway of the Tesla’s battery, the fire required over 36,000 gallons of water before it was brought under control in a little over an hour.

Pine Level Fire Chief Austin Worcester said a typical car fire can take between 300 to 1,000 gallons to put out, depending on how advanced the vehicle is. He said the extra water needed in this case was “typical of an electric vehicle fire.”

There is technology that can help reduce the amount of water needed to put out an electric car fire, but the chief said it is too expensive for the volunteer fire department.

The climate cultist elites intend to push the narrative of a “water crisis.” Arguably, if water is so precious, it is wiser to use a technology that utilizes 36X less water in emergencies and provides life-essential carbon dioxide as well.

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