KAOHSIUNG — Although the fire at Sanyuan Energy Technology Co., Ltd., a lithium battery manufacturing facility, was declared extinguished yesterday, the Kaohsiung City Fire Department continues its operations on-site to prevent possible re-ignition of lithium batteries still stored in the facility.
The blaze broke out at around 5:00 a.m. on July 14, resulting in injuries to 13 employees, one contractor, and three firefighters. The fire, fueled by highly flammable lithium battery cells, required 26 hours of continuous firefighting before it was officially put out at 7:46 a.m. on July 15.
Ongoing Cooling Operations to Prevent Re-Ignition
Firefighters remain on high alert as approximately 2 million lithium batteries of the “21700” specification were stockpiled in the semi-finished product area of the plant. The explosion caused the collapse of the area’s roof, scattering the battery cells and raising the risk of secondary ignition.
To mitigate this, fire trucks have been deployed continuously to pump water and maintain lower temperatures around the affected site. Using thermal imaging cameras, firefighters recorded a maximum temperature of 34.7°C at the scene—roughly equal to the ambient outdoor temperature. However, due to the unstable nature of lithium batteries, officials have stated that it’s too early to confirm complete safety.
Emergency Drill Does Not Disrupt Firefighting
Despite Kaohsiung City conducting a resilience and air defense evacuation drill between 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. today, disaster response operations at the Sanyuan plant continued without interruption. The fire department assured the public that the ongoing watering and cooling procedures were unaffected by the citywide exercise.
Authorities remain cautious, stressing the volatile nature of lithium batteries and the importance of continued cooling even after visible flames have been extinguished. The fire department will stay on site until the temperature readings and on-ground conditions confirm full stabilization of the area.
Investigation into the exact cause of the explosion and assessment of damages is ongoing.
