A Tesla Megapack 13-tonne battery storage facility in South-East Australia caught fire Friday morning. According to Victorian Big Battery, the blaze happened during testing between 10 and 11.15 AM local time. According to the regional fire service, a specialist fire team was dispatched to the Geelong site. Fire Rescue Victoria reports that firefighters used a hazmat device for hazardous chemical spills, and specialist drones to monitor the atmosphere.Victorian Big Battery stated in a statement that the site was evacuated without any injuries. The statement stated that the site was disconnected from the electricity grid and that no disruption to electric supply will occur. Neoen in France and Tesla, the contractor, are working together to manage the situation.According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the fire caused toxic smoke in nearby areas such as Bell Post Hill, Bell Post Hill and Lovely Banks. Residents were advised to bring their pets indoors, and to close all vents, windows, and fireplace flues.The Victorian Big Battery site is 300 MW/450MWh battery storage facility. It is key to the Victorian government's 50 percent renewable energy goal by 2030. This follows the success story of Tesla's 100 MW/129MWh battery farm at Hornsdale, South Australia. It was completed on time and resulted in multimillion-dollar savings for consumers and market players. The sites provide power backup to the region for times when renewable energy isn't available.Neoen announced in February that the Victorian Big Battery would use Teslas megapacks of utility-sized batteries made at its Gigafactory. The Victorian Big Battery will also sell power to the grid. Victorian Big Battery has a contract signed with the Australian Energy Market Operator. The site will ensure energy stability through the provision of 250 MW more peak capacity on the Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector. This agreement is in place for the next ten years of Australian summers.Editor's Note: This article originally appeared on Engadget.
