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fliptop [soylentnews.org] writes:

A vehicle carrier transporting hundreds of Chinese electric vehicles (EV) sank in the Pacific Ocean after catching fire [dailycallernewsfoundation.org], fueling renewed concerns about the hazard associated with EV batteries, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday:

The Morning Midas was carrying approximately 3,000 cars, including around 800 EVs, most of which were manufactured in China, according to the WSJ. While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, lithium-ion batteries used in many EVs are known to be highly flammable [dot.gov], and have been linked to similar maritime incidents in the past.

The ship had been drifting in the ocean after a fire broke out on June 3, prompting the crew to abandon the vessel. At the time of the incident, the vessel was en route to Mexico.

[...] The investigation into the cause of the fire aboard the Morning Midas is expected to take several weeks or even months, the WSJ previously reported [wsj.com]. Typically, shipowners will hire private salvagers to investigate along with the ship’s insurers and the country of registration, which is Liberia.

Related:

• Fire Safety Concerns Spark New Battery Rules on Flights [soylentnews.org]
• Waste Fires Are on the Rise Largely Thanks to the Lithium-Ion Batteries in Vape Pens [soylentnews.org]
• A Truck Full Of Batteries Has Been Burning For Almost A Full Day, Shutting Down Ports In LA [soylentnews.org]
• Firefighters Use 50,000 Gallons to Battle Electric Vehicle Fire [soylentnews.org]

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