Most likely caused by a human foul up or equipment failure. When working with flammable materials, there is little margin for error.

A factory robot killed a worker in S. Korea not long ago, too.

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/industrial-robot-crushes-worker-dead-south-korea/

They are going to need a bigger fire engine...

I'm definitely interested in this.

What caused it?

How the hell are they going to put it out?

CDUB98 said:

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I'm definitely interested in this.

What caused it?

How the hell are they going to put it out?

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Probably water.
Probably not water.

Aggie95 said:

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Li-ion fires are among the most challenging. Incredibly difficult to get under control...the only real hope is that it doesn't cascade beyond initial area, but in a close environment like a mfg plant that is almost impossible.

side note....for those that live in mid-rises or high-rises with attached parking garages (usually on the first few floors...sitting underneath the living units)....you might want to scan the garage and see how many ev's are in there.

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And this is why we don't buy or drive Teslas or other EVs.

Well, one of the reasons.

P.H. Dexippus said:

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CDUB98 said:

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I'm definitely interested in this.

What caused it?

How the hell are they going to put it out?

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Probably water.
Probably not water.

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Well, yes, those are my initial thoughts as well.

Water and alkalis don't get along well at all, but I'm guessing this plant/process is set up in a manner to keep water and pure lithium separate, with no ability to interact.

And, most of us know they can't use water to put it out, but I'm highly doubtful there is enough foam around for that size of fire. They may have to just let this one consume itself.

2023NCAggies said:

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Probably more pollution in that fire than an entire year of all oil and gas pollution

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Laughable

Heard somewhere that most of the killed were Chinese workers. Plenty more where those came from, and I'm sure ChYna will be more than happy to send more. You know…….to save the planet like only the ChiComs can.

China probably supplied the ignition source: damaged lithium battery, the fuel: piles of lithium batteries, and the victims.

ICE plants blow up and catch fire just as often as EV battery plants.

The problem isn't fire frequency. The problem is the means required to extinguish the reaction causing or sustaining the fire.

Most common means to extinguish a fire do not work on a runaway lithium fire. Water makes it worse. It is usually too hot to smother, and it doesn't need much if any outside oxygen. The solution is usually to try to isolate it from other flammables and let the reaction consume all the fuel. This means you can't put out the fire/reaction to limit damage or save trapped people.

MouthBQ98 said:

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The problem isn't fire frequency. The problem is the means required to extinguish the reaction causing or sustaining the fire.

Most common means to extinguish a fire do not work on a runaway lithium fire. Water makes it worse. It is usually too hot to smother, and it doesn't need much if any outside oxygen. The solution is usually to try to isolate it from other flammables and let the reaction consume all the fuel. This means you can't put out the fire/reaction to limit damage or save trapped people.

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I was being sarcastic.

Yes, lithium batteries contain their own oxygen - LiCoO2 - and thus you have to simply let them burn out.

The argument from EV folks about EV fires is that gas vehicles catch on fire just as often.

A_Gang_Ag_06 said:

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Aggie95 said:

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Li-ion fires are among the most challenging. Incredibly difficult to get under control...the only real hope is that it doesn't cascade beyond initial area, but in a close environment like a mfg plant that is almost impossible.

side note....for those that live in mid-rises or high-rises with attached parking garages (usually on the first few floors...sitting underneath the living units)....you might want to scan the garage and see how many ev's are in there.

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I never thought of that. You may be prophetic in this. I could see one of those libtopia high rise apartment complexes going up like a matchstick in a place like Austin because of one of those electric cars catching fire below. Sadly, just like the "vaccine" it will take death before someone figures out how wrong they were.

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Or … the media will lie and tell us a traditional gasoline vehicle caught on fire and burned the building down. Got to control the narrative.

Seems strange that such a high percentage of the staff was Chinese.

A_Gang_Ag_06 said:

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Aggie95 said:

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Li-ion fires are among the most challenging. Incredibly difficult to get under control...the only real hope is that it doesn't cascade beyond initial area, but in a close environment like a mfg plant that is almost impossible.

side note....for those that live in mid-rises or high-rises with attached parking garages (usually on the first few floors...sitting underneath the living units)....you might want to scan the garage and see how many ev's are in there.

---

I never thought of that. You may be prophetic in this. I could see one of those libtopia high rise apartment complexes going up like a matchstick in a place like Austin because of one of those electric cars catching fire below. Sadly, just like the "vaccine" it will take death before someone figures out how wrong they were.

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Like the vaccine? Libs still defend Fauci and the vax to this day.

An EV induced fire could burn down half the city of NY and they would still believe. Libs live by feels, not data.

HollywoodBQ said:

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Seems strange that such a high percentage of the staff was Chinese.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/24/world/asia/lithium-battery-fire-south-korea.html

Quote:

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. . .
Kim Jin-young, an official with the Hwaseong Fire Department, said 102 people had been working in the factory, owned by the battery maker Aricell, when the fire broke out. The 22 victims included 18 migrants from China and one from Laos, as well as two South Koreans.
. . .
The dead migrant workers were temporary hires who were likely unfamiliar with the structure of the building, he said. "The smoke was so toxic you could lose your consciousness after taking one or two breaths," Mr. Jo said.

Chinese, including ethnic Koreans, are the biggest group of migrant workers in South Korea. Of 523,000 foreigners visiting South Korea on temporary work visas according to government data released late last year, more than 100,000 were from China.

Separately, hundreds of thousands of Korean Chinese are working in South Korea on special longer-term work visas that the country grants to ethnic Koreans living abroad.

After suffering low birthrates for decades, South Korea has become increasingly dependent on migrant workers to fill jobs shunned by locals. Many farms and small factories in industrial towns like Hwaseong could not operate without such migrant workers.
. . .

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Staff might be too strong a word for the unfortunate migrant workers.

Secolobo said:

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But God forbid...

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I miss the smell of crude oil in the morning.

Faustus said:

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HollywoodBQ said:

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Seems strange that such a high percentage of the staff was Chinese.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/24/world/asia/lithium-battery-fire-south-korea.html

Quote:

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. . .
Kim Jin-young, an official with the Hwaseong Fire Department, said 102 people had been working in the factory, owned by the battery maker Aricell, when the fire broke out. The 22 victims included 18 migrants from China and one from Laos, as well as two South Koreans.
. . .
The dead migrant workers were temporary hires who were likely unfamiliar with the structure of the building, he said. "The smoke was so toxic you could lose your consciousness after taking one or two breaths," Mr. Jo said.

Chinese, including ethnic Koreans, are the biggest group of migrant workers in South Korea. Of 523,000 foreigners visiting South Korea on temporary work visas according to government data released late last year, more than 100,000 were from China.

Separately, hundreds of thousands of Korean Chinese are working in South Korea on special longer-term work visas that the country grants to ethnic Koreans living abroad.

After suffering low birthrates for decades, South Korea has become increasingly dependent on migrant workers to fill jobs shunned by locals. Many farms and small factories in industrial towns like Hwaseong could not operate without such migrant workers.
. . .

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Staff might be too strong a word for the unfortunate migrant workers.

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Thanks for the extra detail.

A lot of that NYT language about "migrants" sounds like they're trying to be soft on what is happening with our border.

Quote:

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Hwaseong could not operate without such migrant workers

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However, it's interesting that they state that these Chinese workers are in South Korea on work visas.

Quote:

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Of 523,000 foreigners visiting South Korea on temporary work visas according to government data released late last year, more than 100,000 were from China.

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HollywoodBQ said:

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Secolobo said:

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But God forbid...

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Can't begin to describe how beautiful the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia used to be in the 1970s with all the flares at night.

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All I see is wasted dollars.