Major fire breaks out at French plant housing lithium batteries

Some 900 tonnes of lithium batteries were on fire at a battery recycling plant in southern France, authorities said on Sunday, sending a cloud of thick black smoke into the sky above the site.

Issued on: 18/02/2024 - 18:53

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Around 900 tonnes of lithium batteries were on fire at a battery recycling plant in Viviez in southern France, local authorities said February 18, 2024. © Screengrab @PascalMazet on X

The fire broke out on Saturday in a warehouse owned by French recycling group SNAM in Viviez, north of Toulouse, local councillor Pascal Mazet said in a statement on X.

Lithium batteries are vital in electrical devices from phones to electric cars, but contain combustible materials which, combined with the energy they store, can make them vulnerable to catching fire when exposed to heat – a potential danger given the toxic materials their burning can emit.

In January 2023, a large fire broke out in a Normandy warehouse storing car components and thousands of lithiumbatteries, which was brought under control without causing any casualties. Firefighters said there were no indications of the release of dangerous air pollution.