Photo: BLN News, Rivian
A fire broke out under a section of the assembly line conveyor at Rivian's factory in Normal, Illinois. At the moment, the production was paused for upgrades in preparation for the R1 refresh production. No injuries were reported, although one person was treated for smoke inhalation.
Factory fires are not uncommon, considering the flammable materials that are used during production. In the case of EV factories, working with Li-ion batteries and other hazardous materials might suggest that the danger is even greater, although statistical data haven't proved this. Many things can cause a fire in a car plant, but most people think of Li-ion batteries when they hear of a fire at an EV factory.
Sometimes, Li-ion batteries are indeed involved. We've seen this happening at Ford's Rouge EV Center, where the Ford F-150 Lightning is built, or at Rivian's factory in Normal, Illinois. Rivian has been on the news for factory fires, most of which involved battery packs or even complete vehicles. However, not all fires are caused by or involve lithium-ion batteries.
A new fire was reported on Thursday at Rivian's factory in Normal, and this time, batteries were ruled out as the cause. Instead, the fire started on the production line under a section of the conveyor that moved the vehicle chassis down the assembly line on the western side of the building. Luckily, the firefighters were already at the plant for an unrelated incident, so they could intervene promptly to extinguish the fire.
According to the Normal Fire Department, the fire was quickly put out using fire extinguishers before additional fire personnel arrived to assist. The exact cause of the fire was not immediately determined, but the firefighters ruled out that it involved a vehicle or battery components. A video shared online shows what appears like a small fire on the conveyor.
However, the smoke released during the fire prompted an evacuation, and an employee was treated for minor smoke inhalation but declined transportation to a hospital. Due to the size of the facility, it took an extended amount of time to ventilate the smoke from the building. Air quality tests were performed to ensure the air was safe to breathe. The incident took about an hour and a half before employees could return to the building.
The Rivian plant was undergoing upgrades at the time of the fire as the EV startup was preparing to start the refreshed R1S and R1T production. No vehicles were on the line, and the personnel was limited to those working on the upgrades. Rivian is expected to reopen the factory later this year, although ramping up production will take a while. The refreshed R1 vehicles will feature manufacturing optimization and many cost-cutting improvements.
Sometimes, Li-ion batteries are indeed involved. We've seen this happening at Ford's Rouge EV Center, where the Ford F-150 Lightning is built, or at Rivian's factory in Normal, Illinois. Rivian has been on the news for factory fires, most of which involved battery packs or even complete vehicles. However, not all fires are caused by or involve lithium-ion batteries.
A new fire was reported on Thursday at Rivian's factory in Normal, and this time, batteries were ruled out as the cause. Instead, the fire started on the production line under a section of the conveyor that moved the vehicle chassis down the assembly line on the western side of the building. Luckily, the firefighters were already at the plant for an unrelated incident, so they could intervene promptly to extinguish the fire.
According to the Normal Fire Department, the fire was quickly put out using fire extinguishers before additional fire personnel arrived to assist. The exact cause of the fire was not immediately determined, but the firefighters ruled out that it involved a vehicle or battery components. A video shared online shows what appears like a small fire on the conveyor.
However, the smoke released during the fire prompted an evacuation, and an employee was treated for minor smoke inhalation but declined transportation to a hospital. Due to the size of the facility, it took an extended amount of time to ventilate the smoke from the building. Air quality tests were performed to ensure the air was safe to breathe. The incident took about an hour and a half before employees could return to the building.
The Rivian plant was undergoing upgrades at the time of the fire as the EV startup was preparing to start the refreshed R1S and R1T production. No vehicles were on the line, and the personnel was limited to those working on the upgrades. Rivian is expected to reopen the factory later this year, although ramping up production will take a while. The refreshed R1 vehicles will feature manufacturing optimization and many cost-cutting improvements.
Google News