Firefighters respond to lithium-ion battery incident in Kapa‘a
KAPA‘A – Kaua‘i Fire Department firefighters responded to a lithium-ion vehicle off-gassing in Kapa‘a on Wednesday, April 8.
No injuries were reported.
Firefighters were dispatched to a report of fumes coming out of a vehicle on Kūhiō Highway in the vicinity of Mariachi's Mexican Cuisine in Kapa‘a on Wednesday shortly after 5:30 p.m.
Personnel with the Kaiākea Fire Station, the on-duty Battalion Chief, the Department of Public Works, and the Kaua‘i Police Department responded to the incident.
According to a preliminary report, upon arrival shortly before 5:40 p.m., firefighters discovered smoke coming from a 3-wheel Akimoto vehicle. The vehicle’s lithium-ion battery was in thermal runaway, experiencing off-gassing and burning. The Kaua‘i Police Department closed the road in the area as a precaution for the public’s safety.
As no tow companies were willing to tow a lithium-ion battery vehicle, KFD personnel utilized Truck 8 to tow the vehicle to a safe location in the vicinity of Kapa‘a Beach Park, where no other vehicles or structures were located, and monitored the vehicle until it stopped producing smoke.
A local establishment was affected by the smoke and closed immediately. KFD officials spoke with the establishment’s owners, apologizing for the inconvenience and thanking them for their understanding.
Firefighters cleared the scene shortly after 6:50 p.m., after the off-gassing had dissipated and the fire was out, with plans to return in one hour for another check.
The vehicle began off-gassing once more, and KFD returned to the scene. KFD coordinated with the Department of Public Works, which then towed the vehicle to the Kapa‘a Baseyard until the vehicle's owners could arrange transport.
KFD and Public Works personnel cleared the scene shortly before 10:25 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8.
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