Clamp Down On Lithium Batteries After Fatal Fire
South Korean ocean freight carrier, HMM, have recently confirmed a clampdown on lithium-ion batteries moving on their ships, after a fatal fire at a battery makers plant in June.
The carrier announced a full clampdown on the dangerous goods product in an advisory to customers, confirming that only new lithium batteries would be accepted, and only then if they are stored in refrigerated containers with the vents closed. The carrier will no longer transport used, discarded or defective batteries.
The fire at a South Korean compatriot’s factory tragically killed 23 people and injured 9 more. According to reports, police have recently suggested that the company did not take action to address signs of dangerous quality failures as it raced to produce batteries to meet a deadline.
A senior police official said “The accident occurred as the company pushed ahead without taking measures despite problems in various steps in the production process”. The high number of casualties was blamed on a lack of emergency escape training.
The fire was seen sparking from a stack of batteries and quickly engulfed the factory where 35,000 lithium batteries were stored. Fore officials stated that the spread of toxic smoke would have rendered workers unconscious within seconds.
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