Multiple agencies respond to fire on Route 24 that led to on-ramp closure for 3 hours

TIVERTON, RI – A fire on a local highway Wednesday afternoon led to a response by multiple agencies.

According to the Tiverton Fire Department, at just before 3:00 p.m., the Tiverton Fire and Police Departments responded to the Route 24 southbound on-ramp from Main Road for a reported vehicle fire. 

Upon arrival, crews discovered an approximately 12-foot-long underwater drone mounted on a trailer that was actively on fire. The fire involved lithium-ion batteries contained within the drone. Firefighters immediately began suppression efforts and were able to control the visible fire. Due to the nature of lithium-ion battery incidents, crews continued to apply water to cool the batteries and prevent additional cells from entering thermal runaway. 

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management HazMat personnel, along with the regional HazMat team from the East Providence Fire Department, were notified and responded to assist with the safe containment and mitigation of the lithium-ion batteries. 

As a result of the incident and response operations, the Route 24 southbound on-ramp remained closed for approximately three hours.

There were no injuries reported. 

The Tiverton Fire Department thanked their partner agencies for their assistant and the public for their patience during the incident.