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30 June 2023
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Lithium plant fire rages in Bessemer City; fire to burn itself out, US
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Multiple agencies battled a three-alarm fire Monday morning, 26 June 2023, at the Livent lithium plant in Bessemer City in North Carolina, US. The fire was reported at 01h40am and flames shooting into the night sky were visible to area residents. The company reports that the fire is contained to one building where solid lithium metal ingots are produced.
No one has been injured in the fire and the company says that its fire crew is working with the Bessemer fire fighters to contain the fire.
Fire crews responding to the scene worked with Livent officials to determine the types of materials involved in the blaze and then quickly put out a second and third alarm call for additional resources. Livent employees, fire fighters and emergency management personnel moved equipment and other materials from the path of the fire.
Gaston County Emergency Management’s acting emergency management director, Scott Hunter, with said the fire was “highly explosive.” “The temperature that this lithium burns at is over 1 700 degrees,” Hunter said.
Because of the size of the fire and because of the reactivity water has with lithium, officials decided to contain the fire and let it burn out. Officials said the fire was out by 09h45am.
Investigators say the lithium melted down like lava and crews decided to let the fire burn itself out while they moved more than 200 drums of other materials to a safer place.
Hunter said hazmat units conducted air quality tests at the site and further away in Bessemer City and determined there was no hazard to the public. Burned lithium material was contained on site, Hunter said.
Livent, which employees 1 350 people in several locations worldwide, produces components for electric vehicles and other applications.
Bessemer City has told people living near the facility that there is no need for evacuation, as the fire is not producing any toxic emissions.
The Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services, along with the North Carolina Office of Emergency Management and both state and federal law enforcement are investigating the fire.
The investigation may take several days, as the Livent facility involved in the fire sustained significant damage, which is preventing investigators from accessing portions of the site on foot.
Sources: Gaston County Government
No one has been injured in the fire and the company says that its fire crew is working with the Bessemer fire fighters to contain the fire.
Fire crews responding to the scene worked with Livent officials to determine the types of materials involved in the blaze and then quickly put out a second and third alarm call for additional resources. Livent employees, fire fighters and emergency management personnel moved equipment and other materials from the path of the fire.
Gaston County Emergency Management’s acting emergency management director, Scott Hunter, with said the fire was “highly explosive.” “The temperature that this lithium burns at is over 1 700 degrees,” Hunter said.
Because of the size of the fire and because of the reactivity water has with lithium, officials decided to contain the fire and let it burn out. Officials said the fire was out by 09h45am.
Investigators say the lithium melted down like lava and crews decided to let the fire burn itself out while they moved more than 200 drums of other materials to a safer place.
Hunter said hazmat units conducted air quality tests at the site and further away in Bessemer City and determined there was no hazard to the public. Burned lithium material was contained on site, Hunter said.
Livent, which employees 1 350 people in several locations worldwide, produces components for electric vehicles and other applications.
Bessemer City has told people living near the facility that there is no need for evacuation, as the fire is not producing any toxic emissions.
The Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services, along with the North Carolina Office of Emergency Management and both state and federal law enforcement are investigating the fire.
The investigation may take several days, as the Livent facility involved in the fire sustained significant damage, which is preventing investigators from accessing portions of the site on foot.
Sources: Gaston County Government
