New fire breaks out at Moss Landing battery plant in California; shelter-in-place order issued, tell me about this news in (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/new-fire-breaks-out-at-moss-landing-battery-plant-in-california-shelter-in-place-order-issued/ar-AA2cvWfH?ocid=BingNewsVerp)

Here is the summary of the news regarding the fire at the Moss Landing battery facility:

What Happened A structure fire broke out on the morning of Friday, September 18, 2026, at the Moss Landing Power Plant in Monterey County, California. First responders were dispatched shortly after 6:15 a.m. after smoke and flames were detected along the north side of the facility.

KION Central Coast

Location and Cause The blaze ignited inside the north wall of the “Moss 300” structurea facility heavily damaged during a major lithium-ion battery fire in January 2025. The site has been undergoing cleanup and demolition operations. While tens of thousands of battery modules had already been cleared, roughly 1,500 hard-to-access, previously damaged lithium-ion batteries remained in that section and became involved in the flare-up.

Monterey County Weekly+ 1

Safety Measures & Shelter-in-Place Order

• Shelter-in-Place: Around 7:30 a.m., the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Emergency Management issued an order directing residents living within one-third of a mile of 7301 Highway 1 (including zones MRY-B047, MRY-B050, and MRY-B053) to stay indoors.

  KION Central Coast

• Precautionary Steps: Due to the risk of hazardous fumes and smoke associated with heavy metals in burning lithium-ion cells, residents were advised to close all windows and doors, keep pets inside, and shut off ventilation, heating, and air conditioning systems.

  The Pajaronian

• Road Closures: The California Highway Patrol established a closure on Dolan Road between Highway 1 and Via Tanques Road, while Highway 1 remained open with traffic advisories.

  The Pajaronian | Watsonville, CA

Current Status

• No injuries were reported, and plant personnel were safely evacuated.

  KION Central Coast

• Vistra temporarily took the adjacent natural gas power plant offline as a precaution.

  Monterey County Weekly

• Fire officials noted that lithium-ion battery blazes of this type cannot safely be suppressed with standard water applications; instead, crews are monitoring air quality and allowing the fire to safely burn out, which is estimated to take around 24 hours.

  Monterey County Weekly