Lithium-ion battery sparks fire in prison pump house
By Dan Thesman on Friday, July 29th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – An overheated lithium-ion battery sitting on a wooden shelf caused an accidental fire Thursday morning that damaged a pump house at the Washington State Penitentiary. Firefighters responded at 10:17 a.m. to reports of a commercial fire.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, smoke and flames were coming from the unoccupied 25-by-15-foot pump house. No other structures were threatened. There were no injuries to firefighters, penitentiary personnel, or incarcerated individuals.
Damage is estimated at $35,000.
During the current heat advisory, the Walla Walla Fire Department encourages residents to take extra precautions when storing and disposing of any batteries, especially lithium ion. Keep batteries at room temperature and never store them in direct sunlight or inside a hot vehicle.
