La Verne Fire Today: Lithium-Ion Battery Blaze at Water District Facility Prompts Evacuations
La Verne, California — A lithium-ion battery fire at a Metropolitan Water District facility in La Verne prompted evacuations and school safety measures Tuesday, September 22, after firefighters responded to an explosion at the site.
The fire was reported at about 11:40 a.m. at the Metropolitan Water District facility at 3201 Wheeler Avenue, where an outdoor battery energy storage system is located near a solar panel field. Firefighters from La Verne and Los Angeles County responded to the scene.
La Verne Fire Department Battalion Chief Mark Savage said firefighters heard an explosion when they arrived, with the force reportedly blowing open doors of the battery storage compartment. One employee suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital in good condition. No firefighters were reported injured.
Because lithium-ion batteries can remain hazardous after an initial fire is knocked down, authorities issued evacuation orders and warnings for nearby neighborhoods. Shelter-in-place orders also affected Grace Miller Elementary School and Bonita High School, while several other schools and the University of La Verne were evacuated or closed for the day.
By shortly after 3 p.m., Los Angeles County firefighters reported that the main fire had been knocked down. Crews continued applying water to cool the batteries and monitoring the facility because additional battery units remained a potential hazard. The city later said the original battery storage unit was under control, while a second unit was showing signs of fire activity.
Officials emphasized that the community’s water supply was not affected by the incident and remained operational. The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
Residents were urged to stay outside restricted areas and follow evacuation instructions until authorities officially lifted the remaining orders.