Residential battery system prompts extra caution at Folsom house fire

What happened

A structure fire was reported on the morning of a Tuesday in a home on the 100 block of Loughridge Way in Folsom. Crews from the Folsom Fire Department, El Dorado Hills Fire Department and Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District were sent, and the report says 11 units were dispatched. Firefighters found heavy smoke, traced flames to a bedroom where fire had entered a wall cavity, and contained the blaze after opening the wall.

A residential energy storage system with an inverter and lithium batteries was inside the home. Crews treated it as a hazard because of possible explosion, toxic smoke and re-ignition, and personnel who had entered were washed down. The report does not say the batteries ignited the fire or were damaged. No injuries were reported at the time, and occupants and pets were said to have been evacuated and accounted for.

Contributing factors

The cause was still under investigation. Investigators had not determined whether the storage system, another component, or another source started the fire.

Lessons learned

1. Residential battery systems in homes can release toxic smoke and risk re-ignition, so firefighters must locate the equipment early and plan wash-down for crews.
2. Interior teams need wash-down ready before they exit any building that holds lithium storage to avoid carrying contaminants.
3. Operators and insurers should await the final report before linking a home fire to the battery system as the ignition source.

Not yet known

• Exact cause of the fire
• Battery system model and age
• Cost of damage and repairs

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Source

folsomtimes.com