A massive fire broke out at the Moss Landing battery storage facility near San Francisco Bay, prompting the evacuation of approximately 1,500 people due to concerns over toxic gases.
The blaze began on the afternoon of January 16 (morning of January 17, Hanoi time) at the Moss Landing plant in Monterey County, northern California. Authorities closed nearby highways and issued evacuation orders for residents in the Moss Landing and Elkhorn Slough areas.
The facility, owned by Vistra Energy and located about 124 kilometers south of San Francisco, is one of the largest lithium-ion battery storage sites in the world. It houses tens of thousands of lithium-ion batteries used to store electricity from renewable sources like solar power. Fires involving these batteries are notoriously difficult to extinguish due to their high temperatures and the release of toxic gases.
Emergency Response
Nicholas Pasculli, a spokesperson for Monterey County, urged residents to comply with evacuation orders and follow the guidance of fire crews. “Our priority is to protect lives and property. Please leave the danger zone and move to a safe area,” Pasculli said.
Glen Church, a Monterey County official, described the fire as a "disaster" but expressed hope that it would not spread beyond the concrete building containing the batteries. “We don’t believe there’s a risk of it spreading, but there are still many burning batteries inside the building,” Church stated.
Vistra Energy confirmed that all on-site personnel were evacuated safely and pledged to conduct an internal investigation into the cause of the fire.
Previous Incidents and Safety Concerns
This is not the first fire at the Moss Landing facility. Two fires occurred in 2021 and 2022 due to issues with the sprinkler system that caused some battery modules to overheat. The cause of the current fire has not yet been determined.
Similar fires at other battery storage facilities in California have raised concerns about safety standards and oversight. In recent years, local governments have tightened regulations, including restricting the construction of battery storage facilities near residential areas and schools.
(Reported by AP, Mercury News)
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