Fire at Vistra’s California Battery Site Prompts Evacuations (2)

A fire broke out at Vistra Corp.’s Moss Landing complex in California, one of the world’s biggest battery storage facilities, prompting evacuations. Local officials said a fire suppressant system failed.

Every rack of batteries at the facility has a fire suppressant system fed by an on-site system, and this system failed, Chief Joel Mendoza with the North County Fire District, said during a press briefing Friday. The county declared a local emergency.

A fire burns at Vistra’s battery storage facility in Moss Landing, California, on Jan. 17.

Photographer: Nic Coury/Bloomberg

Vistra executives acknowledged the system failure at the briefing. Pete Ziegler, who manages the facility, added, “We don’t know what started this event yet.”

The Monterey ...