Lexus LS 600hL 2007 Emergency Response Manual page 26

EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Fire
(Continued)
Fire in the HV Battery Pack
•
Should a fire occur in the NiMH HV battery pack, attack crews
should utilise a water stream or fog pattern to extinguish any fire
within the luggage compartment except for the HV battery pack.
WARNING:
• The NIMH battery electrolyte is a caustic alkaline (pH 13.5) that is
damaging to human tissues. To avoid injury by coming in contact with the
electrolyte, wear proper personal protective equipment.
• The battery modules are contained within a metal case and accessibility
is limited.
• To avoid serious injury or death from severe burns or electric shock, never
breach or remove the high voltage battery pack cover under any
circumstance including fire.
When allowed to burn themselves out, the LS 600hL NiMH battery
modules burn rapidly and can quickly be reduced to ashes except
for the metal.
Offensive Fire Attack
Normally flooding a NiMH HV battery pack with copious amounts
of water at a safe distance will effectively control the HV battery
pack fire by cooling the adjacent NiMH battery modules to a point
below their ignition temperature. The remaining modules on fire,
if not extinguished by the water, will burn themselves out.
However, flooding the LS 600hL HV battery pack is not
recommended due to the battery case design and location
preventing the responder from properly applying water through
the available vent openings safely. Therefore, it is recommended
that the incident commander allow the LS 600hL HV battery pack
to burn itself out.
Defensive Fire Attack
If the decision has been made to fight the fire using a defensive
attack, the fire attack crew should pull back a safe distance and
allow the NiMH battery modules to burn themselves out. During
this defensive operation, fire crews may utilise a water stream or
fog pattern to protect exposures or to control the path of smoke.
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