Lithium-Ion Battery Emergency Response Guide TS-00004027

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A battery fire may continue for several hours and it may take 24 hours or longer for the battery pack to cool after it has been fully consumed by a thermal runaway event. A lithium-ion battery fire that has been seemingly extinguished can flare up again if all cells have not been consumed due to the exothermic reaction of constituent materials from broken or damaged cells, or unburnt cells. Allow the battery pack to fully consume itself and then cool the burned mass by flooding with water. After all fire and smoke has visibly subsided, a thermal imaging camera can be used to actively measure the temperature of the unit.
4.1.2 Defensive Firefighting
Tesla’s recommendation is to fight a Tesla Energy Product fire defensively. The fire crew should maintain a safe distance and allow the battery to burn itself out. Fire crews should utilize a fog pattern to protect neighboring units or exposures or control the path of smoke. A single one-and-three-quarter inch (~5cm) hand line has shown to be sufficient. Applying water directly on the burning unit will only delay the burn and not suppress it. A battery fire may continue for several hours and may result in multiple flare-up events due to the way thermal runaway propagates throughout the enclosure. It may take 24 hours or longer for the battery pack to cool once completely consumed.
4.1.3 Firefighter PPE
Firefighters should wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and fire protective turnout gear. Cells or batteries may flame or leak potentially hazardous organic vapors if exposed to excessive heat, fire or over voltage conditions. These vapors may include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, soot, and particulates containing oxides of nickel, aluminum, lithium, copper, and cobalt. Additionally, phosphorus pentafluoride, POF3 and HF vapors may form.
FIREFIGHTING
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