Large battery leaked in accident with semi-trailer

RICHFIELD, Utah — A semi-truck overturned at a Richfield gas station this morning, causing its cargo, a large lithium-ion battery, to leak and create a fire hazard. According to a Richfield City Police post, the battery weighed 35 tons and the accident posed an “extreme fire hazard” to the immediate area.

While lithium-ion batteries are very useful in modern electronics, they pose a fire hazard if damaged or exposed to heat.

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The truck overturned as it turned left into a gas station on Main Street.

The area around the overturned truck was cordoned off while workers undertook the difficult task of recovering the extremely heavy battery. At approximately 2:00 p.m., the battery was removed from the road. After recovery, Main Street was reopened to the public. Another road near the gas station remains closed until a trailer arrives to haul the battery away.