La Verne Battery Fire Extends…La Verne Battery Fire Extends Evacuations

A lithium-ion battery fire at the Metropolitan Water District’s Weymouth Water Treatment Plant in La Verne began on September 22, 2026, and led to days of cooling operations and evacuations as a neighboring unit also heated up. Officials reported no hazardous emissions detected beyond the facility, and the evacuation orders were lifted after the batteries were removed. The cause remains under investigation. The incident also focused attention on whether safety requirements adequately address smaller, on-site battery-storage systems.