Explosion in small lithium-Ion battery led to 3 million in damages on oil tanker
Thank you for choosing Automatic Translation. Currently we are offering translations from English into French and German, with more translation languages to be added in the near future. Please be aware that these translations are generated by a third party AI software service. While we have found that the translations are mostly correct, they may not be perfect in every case. To ensure the information you read is correct, please refer to the original article in English. If you find an error in a translation which you would like to bring to our attention, it would help us greatly if you let us know. We can correct any text or section, once we are aware of it. Please do not hesitate to contact our webmaster to let us know of any translation errors.
“Companies should ensure that lithium-ion batteries and devices that use lithium-ion battery packs are certified by Underwriters Laboratory or another recognized organization,” the report said.
WASHINGTON (Nov. 9, 2023) — A thermal runaway of a cell within a handheld radio’s lithium-ion battery led to a fire on an oil tanker last year while docked in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Thursday, Nov 9.
The fire resulted in $3 million in damage to the ship.
READ THIS PRESS RELEASE on NTSB.gov
The oil tanker S-Trust was docked at the Genesis Port Allen Terminal on Nov. 13, 2022, when a fire started on the bridge.
The fire was caused by one of the cells in a lithium-ion battery for an ultra-high-frequency handheld radio, which exploded.
The batteries and chargers for the handheld radios were located on the communications table on the bridge. The vessel’s crew extinguished the fire. The S-Trust’s navigation, communication and alarm systems were damaged beyond use.
Photos from the bridge closed-circuit camera showing (1) a second explosion occurs, (2) an object is propelled on fire into the air (circled), and (3) the object, still on fire, landing on the floor. (Source: Stalwart Management Ltd)
No injuries were reported.
Lithium-ion battery cell explosions are typically caused by a thermal runaway, a chemical reaction that can cause the cell to ignite and explode. A lithium-ion battery cell can spontaneously experience a thermal runaway if damaged, shorted, overheated, defective or overcharged.
Crews can help to prevent thermal runaways and ensuing fires by:
- Following manufacturers’ instructions for the care and maintenance of lithium-ion batteries;
- Properly disposing of damaged batteries;
- Avoiding unsupervised charging; and
- Keeping batteries and chargers away from heat sources and flammable materials.
“Companies should ensure that lithium-ion batteries and devices that use lithium-ion battery packs are certified by Underwriters Laboratory or another recognized organization,” the report said.
If a lithium-ion battery fire occurs, crews can attempt to extinguish the fire with water, foam, CO2, or other dry chemical or powdered agents designed for use on Class A (combustible) fires.
If the battery fire cannot be extinguished, personnel should attempt to allow the pack to burn in a controlled manner, including by watching for nearby cells that may also experience thermal runaway and extinguishing other combustibles that may catch on fire.
Marine Investigation Report 23-23 is available online.
To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).