Diego is servicing an embedded battery and it begins to swell. Which of the following is the proper response by Diego?

Question

Options

• AImmediately pour sand on the battery to cover it completely.
• BEvacuate the room for fifteen minutes.
• CRemove the swelling battery and move it to a fire-proof safety cabinet.
• DWait to see if the battery stops swelling or continues to thermal event.

• A
  91% (42)
• B
  4% (2)
• C
  2% (1)
• D
  2% (1)

Explanation

Pouring sand on a swelling battery is the recommended containment response because sand smothers potential flames, absorbs any leaking electrolyte, and thermally isolates the battery to slow or prevent a full thermal runaway event - all without requiring you to handle or move the compromised battery.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• B (evacuate for 15 minutes) is incomplete - abandoning the battery uncontained risks an unchecked fire spreading; evacuation may be additionally appropriate, but it is not the primary action.
• C (move to a fire-proof cabinet) is dangerous at this stage - physically handling and transporting a swelling battery can puncture or stress it, accelerating the thermal event.
• D (wait and see) is the most dangerous choice - swelling indicates imminent thermal runaway, and waiting allows the situation to escalate uncontrolled.

Memory tip: Think of sand as a "battery blanket" - it covers, cools, and contains without touching. On exams, when you see a swelling or compromised lithium battery, the instinct to move it is wrong; the instinct to smother it with sand is right.

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