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Hybrid co-locatedUnited StatesEIR-1178

Lithium ion battery fire at Metropolitan Water District facility La Verne

Sept 2026Published 23 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantThermal / fire
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersMedium confidence
out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hidden
Where
Metropolitan Water District facility, 3000 block of Wheeler Avenue, La Verne
Operator
Metropolitan Water District
What
Lithium ion battery fire in battery energy storage system
Injuries
One civilian employee sustained minor injuries
Cause
Remains unknown

Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Metropolitan Water District

What happened

Evacuation orders were issued on 22 September after a lithium ion battery fire broke out at the Metropolitan Water District facility, 3000 block of Wheeler Avenue in La Verne. The fire involved a battery energy storage system near a solar panel field on the northeast side of the property. The initial fire in one battery storage container subsided after cooling measures, but popping sounds and smoke were observed from an adjacent unit.

Fire crews monitored temperatures and stood by with water to prevent spread. A small explosion occurred when firefighters arrived. One civilian employee sustained minor injuries. Evacuation orders remained in place overnight due to concerns over potential toxic smoke, with shelter in place orders also issued in parts of the area. The water supply was unaffected and the cause remains unknown.

Contributing factors

The cause of the fire was not reported.

Lessons learned

  1. A lithium ion battery storage container can reignite after initial cooling, so operators must monitor adjacent units for heat and smoke.
  2. Fire crews at a battery energy storage system need water on standby to prevent spread from one container to another.
  3. A small explosion can occur on arrival at a lithium ion battery fire, so responders must plan for sudden pressure events.

More lessons on detection and monitoring, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Model and age of the battery storage containers
  • Duration of the evacuation and shelter in place orders
  • Cost of the damage and lost operations
  • Downtime before the system returns to service

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

Source

sgvtribune.com

Published 2026-09-23. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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