LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Members of the Lexington Fire Department are paying close attention to the conversation about electric vehicles, especially in regards to Lithium Ion Batteries.
"We're having more Lithium Ion Incidents over the past year as opposed to the past four or five years, as more devices are out in the public," Lieutenant James Praria said.
LFD has responded to cases of tablets and scooters, for example, causing fires due to Lithium Ion Batteries. As for a fire involving an electric vehicle, that is yet to occur in Fayette County according to Praria, LFD Hazmat Officer for the third platoon, but they're talking about how they need to be prepared.
"They're now looking to have in ten years, one of five vehicles being an EV vehicle, so as the production increases, how do we combat this alternative fuel type of vehicle," Praria noted.
When these batteries get compromised, it's a domino effect.
It goes through what we call thermal runaway, and what you have is this popping hissing sound from that battery," Praria added.
It leads to a violent, quick dispersing gas. Fire departments are collaborating to know how to react to an EV Fire.
It's a very intense fire that when we show up, it takes thousands and thousands of gallons of water to put out," Praria said.
Extinguishing a fire involving an electric vehicle changes the way LFD operates.
"Resources on scene, apparatus on scene, more crews on scene, getting water to the scene," Praria noted.
Once it is contained, this is one of the final stages of the response.
"We'll take our thermal imaging cameras, and we'll do an assessment of that vehicle to verify that that vehicle is safe to be towed," Praria said.
From there, that vehicle goes to a tow yard on seventh street to be quarantined there for three weeks.
