Battery storage fire breaks out at Proxy Delhaize supermarket in Braives, Belgium

What happened

A fire broke out in the battery energy storage system at the Proxy Delhaize supermarket in Braives, Belgium, on the morning of 26 or 27 December 2023. The store had installed eight lithium ion battery units with a combined capacity of 144 kWh outside the building to store surplus solar energy from more than 1,200 rooftop panels. The fire started in the battery units, which were located outside the main shop structure.

Local fire services from the Hesbaye emergency zone attended, describing it as the first incident of its kind in the region involving commercial energy storage batteries rather than electric vehicles. A specialised contractor removed the damaged battery units and submerged them in a water filled container to cool them before disposal. The store manager stated the shop narrowly avoided being destroyed.

Contributing factors

Fire service and an industry association representative said the cause could not be confirmed but speculated it might involve a fault in an individual battery cell, a short circuit in electrical panels, or a connection issue with the battery system itself. It was also suggested that increased electrical demand during the festive period, from refrigeration, lighting and higher customer footfall, raised questions about whether the battery system was adequately sized for the load.

Lessons learned

1. Battery units sited outside the main building limited fire spread to the shop.
2. Damaged lithium ion units need prompt immersion in water by specialists.
3. Commercial battery systems must match peak loads from refrigeration and lighting.

More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

• Confirmed cause of the fire
• Battery unit model and age
• Duration of any store closure
• Cost of damage and repairs

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

sudinfo.be