2024-02-18 22:20:50
A large fire yesterday destroyed around 900 tons of lithium batteries and the building where they were stored at a battery recycling plant in southern France, BTA reported, citing French media. As a result of the fire, a cloud of thick black smoke rose into the sky.
The fire broke out in a warehouse owned by the French recycling company SNAM (Société nouvelle d’affinage des metaux, SNAM) in Viviers, north of the city of Toulouse, local councilor Pascal Mazet said on X social media, quoted by Reuters. .
Lithium batteries are key to electrical devices, from phones to electric cars. However, they contain flammable materials and this, combined with the energy they store, creates a risk of them igniting when exposed to heat, which in turn is a potential hazard given the toxic substances that can be released during combustion.
In January 2023, a large fire broke out in a warehouse in Normandy, where automotive components and thousands of lithium batteries are stored, which was brought under control without causing any casualties. Firefighters said at the time that there were no indications of dangerous air pollution.
French media showed thick smoke over the plant in Vivier yesterday, and Mond reported that up to 70 firefighters were struggling to contain the blaze.
At a press conference, Charles Justy, prefect of the department of Aveyron, where Vivier is located, told BFM television today that there was no danger to the local population.
In a statement overnight, the prefecture said that while the fire was under control, it was burning slowly and was expected to last several hours.
SNAM has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for comment.
A safety order at the Vivier site warned that in the event of a major fire, the products there could release cadmium through fumes. Cadmium is highly poisonous and dangerous to the environment, but the order says that given the location of the plant and the behavior of the toxic fumes, they should not pose an immediate health risk to residents.