Hundreds still evacuated in La Verne after hazardous lithium-ion fire at Metropolitan Water District – CBS News

Hundreds still evacuated in La Verne after hazardous lithium-ion fire at Metropolitan Water District  CBS News

Evacuation orders have been issued in La Verne after a hazardous lithium-ion fire broke out at the Metropolitan Water District on Tuesday afternoon. The La Verne Police Department said the fire erupted at around 11:40 a.m. at the facility in the 3200 block of Wheeler Avenue. La Verne firefighters said that upon arrival, they heard a small explosion in a battery storage unit on the northeast side of the large facility. Evacuations were briefly issued for everyone near Wheeler and Bonita Avenue, at which point police urged residents to gather their families and leave the area. Some orders were downgraded later in the evening, but as of 11 p.m., approximately 200 people were still under mandatory evacuation orders.Aerial footage of the fire showed fire engines using their ladders to spray the area with water.One injury has been reported by firefighters, but they did not say if it was a civilian or crew member.

The cause of the fire is unknown.Schools impacted as firefighters work to control fireResidents east of Wheeler Avenue were also told to shelter in place and close all windows and doors until further notice. At the time, shelter-in-place orders were issued at Grace Miller Elementary School and Bonita High School, but students were released from their campuses a little after 3 p.m.Grace Miller Elementary, which is less