Representative Titus
Serving the First Congressional District of Nevada for more than a decade, Representative Dina Titus is the dean of Nevada’s delegation.
Congresswoman Titus has introduced new legislation to reduce harmful fires caused by thermal runaway.
Read on to learn more about the events surrounding the Thermal Runaway Reduction Act and the rules that will transform how we approach battery transport going forward.
July 26, 2024
In July, a truck carrying a shipment of lithium batteries to a solar farm in Wisconsin caught fire on I-15 in July, leading to a complete shutdown of the freeway for days. The blaze was the first of its kind in the nation, according to CalTrans, which led to an unprecedented response for removal of hazardous materials.
In immediate response to the I-15 crash in California, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stressed the need for increased training. This would better prepare agencies to respond to future roadside incidents involving lithium-ion batteries.
“Anytime that you have hazardous material moving, it’s important for first responders to have the training equipment needed to respond to that,” said Buttigieg.
As a result, the Nevada Department of Transportation and CalTrans met last month to discuss improving their response efforts.
“The disaster on Interstate 15 was a wake-up call that we need to do more to protect the public from dangerous fires,” Titus said.
August 19, 2024
In August, a Tesla semi-truck crashed on Interstate 80 in Northern California en route to the company’s Gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada. The truck collided with a steel post, followed by a tree, causing the vehicle’s battery system to ignite.
Firefighters in California deployed 50,000 gallons of plain water to extinguish the blaze. This was recorded in the National Transportation Safety Board’s incident report.
The fire shut down I-80 for more than 12 hours. An incident report notes that closure was extended to ensure that the batteries could reach a safe enough temperature for recovery operations to begin.
September 17, 2024
A fiery blaze erupted outside Las Vegas, Nevada just after midnight. The collision occurred near U.S. Highway 95 and Mile Marker 13 in Nye County. According to authorities, two semi-trucks were involved in the crash. One semi was hauling 31,000 pounds of lithium-ion batteries sectioned onto 7 pallets—the other trailer contained lumber, adding fuel to the flames.
The incident marks the third in a string of recent crashes to disrupt traffic surrounding Nevada—all involving batteries.
Rapid Extinguishment
Nye County Fire Services extinguished the electric fire with about 5,500 gallons of an F-500 EA® solution by 2 AM. This was achieved just two hours after the initial spark.
In August, fire departments in Nye County had the opportunity to obtain innovative firefighting equipment and in service training thanks to grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management (EM) Nevada Program. The grant supplied F-500 EA® and two Fast Response Trailers to each station.
Patrick Lazenby with Nye County Emergency Management Administration reached out to our regional representative in Nevada, Earl Johnson, to describe their experience.
“We had our first deployment of the F-500 EA® trailers last night! Absolutely worked as advertised!”
There were no fatalities reported and both drivers involved suffered minor injuries, police said.
The aftermath of the crash resulted in continued closures on parts of U.S. Highway 95 that morning. Trained cleanup crews were brought in to assess the damage and safely remove debris without reigniting any fragments.
Targeted Legislation
Last week, Nevada representative Dina Titus introduced the Thermal Runaway Reduction Act. This is the beginning of new legislation aimed at improving the health and safety of Nevada’s residents and roadways as the transportation of lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles reaches new highs.
“An accident involving these batteries in highly populated urban areas could have tragic consequences,” Titus said in a statement.
New Requirements
The Thermal Runaway Reduction Act focuses on reducing the potential for thermal runaway during the transportation of lithium-ion batteries.
It intends to achieve this by doing the following:
- Requiring impact testing for lithium-ion batteries that accounts for forces experienced in transportation accidents; and
- Requiring the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to issue regulations that set a maximum state of charge of 30% for lithium-ion batteries set for ground transportation, similar to what is required for air transportation.
Prioritizing Safety
The hazards associated with a lithium-ion battery fire are varied and extend far beyond flammability. F-500 EA® works to extinguish battery fires on three distinct levels: flammability, explosivity, and toxicity. This extensive approach to lithium-ion battery suppression prioritizes the health and safety of first responders, motorists, and their communities.
Many burning lithium-ion batteries release both explosive and toxic off-gases, making it a necessity for firefighters to exercise caution and utilize personal protective equipment.
Minimizing Runoff
Another factor to consider is the runoff generated from a roadside incident involving lithium-ion batteries. As batteries burn, they can leach a multitude of heavy metals and other harmful materials into the water used for extinguishment. In addition to the negative impact deploying a copious amount of water can have on the surrounding area’s resources, it can also create a hazmat incident capable of endangering locals and delaying the reopening of crucial routes post-incident.
F-500 EA® has shown success in not only significantly limiting the amount of water required to extinguish a fire involving lithium-ion batteries, but also decreasing the concentration of hazardous substances present in runoff.
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