Explosion at Raynham Lithium Battery Plant Strong Enough to Blow Out Safety Doors

RAYNHAM (WBSM) — An explosion in Raynham on Tuesday afternoon was so strong that three safety doors were blown out by the blast.

According to Raynham Fire Chief Bryan LaCivita, the department responded at about 2:47 p.m. on May 26 to a smoke detector and fire suppression equipment activation at a commercial business located at 670 Paramount Drive.

The business is listed online as Electrochem, a lithium battery manufacturing facility.

Blast Force Blows Out Safety Doors

First responders arrived on the scene and saw smoke coming from the corner of the building, which they later learned was where battery cells and equipment were tested. They also saw that three safety doors had been blown out by the force of the explosion, LaCivita said.

He said there was no active fire, and that firefighters began ventilating the building.

At first, it was believed three people were missing, but they were later accounted for. No injuries were reported.

Mutual Aid and Hazmat Mobilization

LaCivita thanked the partners that assisted with the response, including fire departments from Bridgewater, Middleboro, Taunton, and West Bridgewater, as well as Brewster Ambulance, Raynham Police, and the Massachusetts Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Division.

“We work hard with our mutual aid partners and other agencies to have a high level of coordination when a critical incident occurs,” LaCivita said. “We had strong teamwork and collaboration, and as a result were able to control this situation quickly with a positive outcome.”