La Verne evacuations lifted after damaged battery modules removed from water district site
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Temperatures start to stabilize at La Verne lithium battery unit
Three days after a fire broke out inside a lithium battery storage unit at a La Verne water facility, temperatures inside the units are finally stabilizing—raising hopes that nearby evacuations could soon be lifted.
LA VERNE, Calif. - All evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted in La Verne after specialists and emergency personnel worked overnight to safely extract fire-damaged lithium-ion batteries from an enclosure at the Metropolitan Water District facility.
What we know:
The hazardous incident began on Tuesday, Sept. 22 around 11:40 a.m. when a fire broke out in an eight-foot-by-twenty-foot battery storage unit near a solar panel field on the northeast side of the compound.
Officials said the heat from that initial blaze caused thermal damage to an adjacent, identical battery bank, prompting firefighters to continuously spray water onto the structures for days to maintain safe temperatures and prevent reignition.
With the damaged battery modules now extracted, officials from the La Verne Fire Department confirmed that the immediate threat to the community has been eliminated.
The lifting of evacuation orders means residents living in the 186 units of a nearby mobile home complex and more than 300 single-family homes east of the facility may safely return to their properties, and local businesses are cleared to resume normal operations.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- La Verne battery fire update: Evacuations remain, schools closed
- La Verne lithium battery storage fire forces evacuations near water district facility
Continuous air monitoring conducted across the area throughout the entire incident showed that air quality remained within normal, safe ranges.
Officials clarified that the drinking water supply managed by the Metropolitan Water District, which serves millions of customers across Southern California, was not affected or compromised at any point during the crisis.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not yet released the exact cause of the initial fire that broke out in the solar field battery unit on Tuesday morning.
Officials have not specified the total cost of the physical damage to the Metropolitan Water District infrastructure, nor have they detailed the full timeline for when the remaining battery components will be completely transported out of the city limits to a designated hazardous waste facility.
What they're saying:
La Verne Fire Department Chief Brandon Coatney noted during the response that while the primary unit was mostly consumed by the initial fire, leaving "a lot of the melted components," crews worked methodically through the night to ensure any residual stored energy was safely mitigated.
Battalion Chief Mark Savage previously confirmed that monitoring showed no active flames or smoke emanating from the second unit once temperatures stabilized.
City of La Verne leadership issued a statement thanking residents for their patience during the disruption, while also extending gratitude to the partner agencies, city staff, and community volunteers who assisted evacuees at hotel placements and overnight shelters.
What's next:
Safety crews will continue local air monitoring until all battery debris is hauled away, allowing investigators to enter the site and pinpoint the cause of the fire.
Officials have scheduled a 10 a.m. press conference today to provide further updates.
Grace Miller Elementary School remains closed today with reopening details pending, according to school officials.
What you can do:
Residents returning home can access local official updates and ongoing city announcements via the official social media channels of the La Verne Fire Department and La Verne Police Department, or by visiting the municipal website at laverneca.gov.
Community members interested in voicing feedback or learning more about the municipal response are invited to attend the upcoming La Verne City Council meeting scheduled for September 29 at 6:00 p.m. at the La Verne Community Center.
The Source: This report is compiled directly from official public statements, safety advisories, and press briefings issued by the La Verne Fire Department, Chief Brandon Coatney, Battalion Chief Mark Savage, and the City of La Verne. Additional information was provided through formal statements from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. City News Service contributed.