Fire hits French warehouse holding 900 tons of lithium batteries

Firefighters respond as a warehouse burns, which houses lithium batteries and is owned by French recycling group SNAM, in Viviez, north of Toulouse, France on Feb 17, 2024 in this image obtained from social media. — Adeba via Reuters

Firefighters in France have been battling a blaze at a storage site for some 900 tons of lithium-ion batteries, according to Le Monde newspaper.

The fire broke out Feb 17 at a warehouse owned by recycling firm Société Nouvelle d’Affinage des Métaux in the town of Viviez in Aveyron prefecture, the French newspaper reported Sunday, citing local authorities and TV reports.