A lithium-ion battery fire at San Diego Gas & Electric's facility in Escondido, which began on September 5, prompted the evacuation of over 500 businesses and 1,500 homes. The fire was contained to one storage unit and extinguished by 1 a.m. on September 6, allowing evacuation orders to be lifted by noon on September 7. Firefighters and hazardous materials teams responded swiftly to the incident, ensuring that air quality remained safe and no toxic gases were detected. The Escondido Fire Department and SDG&E plan to conduct a thorough investigation into the fire's cause in the coming weeks. This incident has sparked renewed calls for a moratorium on new battery-storage projects due to safety concerns following several recent fires. The facility, which opened in 2017, is designed to store energy generated from renewable sources for later use.