Battery Malfunction Prompts Evacuation At Business In NW OKC

A manufacturing facility on the northwest side of the metro was evacuated after a battery overheated and emitted a chemical, Thursday morning.

Emergency crews were called out to the Baker Hughes facility, located near NW 122nd St. and N. Santa Fe Ave., due to an issue with a large lithium battery.

According to Oklahoma City Fire Department spokesperson Benny Fulkerson, the 2'26"x1.4" battery overheated and "off-gassed" sulfur dioxide into the facility. 

About 60 employees inside the building were evacuated. There have been no reported of injuries at this time.

Baker Hughes issued the following statement regarding the incident:

"Baker Hughes has resumed normal operations at its facility on 12701 North Santa Fe Ave., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as of 1:00 p.m. CST. Around 11:30 a.m. CST, during the course of normal repair and maintenance activities, the company identified a damaged lithium battery in one of its tools. Out of an abundance of caution, the company followed appropriate protocol by safely securing the battery, evacuating the impacted building and informing local authorities. The company fully cooperated with local fire and hazmat teams as they inspected and cleared the facility. Once local authorities confirmed there were no adverse risks to employees, the community or the environment, operations resumed."