Fire in truck carrying lithium ion batteries leads to 3-hour evacuation in Columbus, Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Authorities evacuated an area of Ohio’s capital, Columbus, for several hours out of fear that a fire in truck’s trailer could have caused lithium ion batteries to explode. Police began evacuating a several-block area west of downtown shortly after 7 a.m. Thursday and closed off several highway exits near the Scioto River. Officers went door-to-door to alert residents about the evacuation, and a shelter was set up. Although firefighters were still battling the blaze as of late morning, the evacuation order was lifted about three hours after it was issued. It was ordered out of concern that the batteries could burn very rapidly and explode.