The Morning Midas, a ferry transporting 3,000 vehicles, caught fire while at sea, leading to a dramatic rescue by the US Coast Guard. The fire began on 3 June as sailors reported smoke from a deck carrying electric vehicles. Despite the crew's efforts to combat the flames using onboard systems, the situation escalated, prompting them to abandon ship. Nearby vessels aided in rescuing the crew. Challenges in extinguishing the fire stem from the dangers posed by lithium batteries and salt water, which risk thermal runaway reactions.
Because water and electricity don't mix, and salt water is an even better conductor than fresh water. When salt water covers a lithium battery, it can cause a short circuit that causes the battery cells to overheat in a sequence of rapid reactions, a process called thermal runaway that can cause the entire battery to burn.
The crew immediately initiated emergency firefighting procedures using the vessel's onboard fire suppression systems. However, despite their efforts, the situation could not be brought under control.
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