City of Escondido lifts evacuation orders for battery storage fire [Video]

ESCONDIDO, Calif. — San Diego Gas & Electric and the Escondido Fire Department lifted evacuation orders Saturday following a lithium-ion battery fire in Escondido earlier this week.

The fire began Thursday around noon, when a battery storage container caught fire at an SDG&E facility in the 500 block of Enterprise Street. According to Escondido Fire Department officials, the dispatch center received a call about a ringing alarm and smoke coming from a trailer housing lithium-ion battery storage units.

Escondido Police evacuated commercial businesses east of the site, and hazmat units from both the city and San Diego County were dispatched to assess potential hazards. About 500 businesses and 1,500 customers were evacuated, with some area schools closing on Friday as a precaution.

The fire was contained to just one storage unit and was put out by 1 a.m. Friday.

The City of Escondido will lift all evacuation orders by noon Saturday. Residents in the affected area who are registered with Alert …