From the Mayor’s Office –
Fire

From the Mayor’s Office
December 31, 2025

Fire

On Friday, December 19, at approximately 10:30 p.m., I received a call from Warwick Police Chief John Rader notifying me of a battery storage fire at 28 Church Street Extension. I immediately responded to the site.

Upon arrival, the Warwick Fire Department had secured the area, posted personnel at the entrance drive, and established a command post at Firehouse Station One on Church Street. I met with Fire Chief Lemin, who advised that the fire was visible at one corner of the battery storage structure. Orange County HazMat Response Team was already on scene and had deployed air-monitoring equipment at the site. At the Village’s request, additional monitoring equipment was placed in Memorial Park, which was downwind at the time. Cold temperatures and limited wind helped keep the fire and smoke contained.

Lithium-ion battery fires cannot be extinguished with water and are typically allowed to burn out. As a result, continuous air-quality monitoring was critical throughout the incident. We were recently made aware that air monitoring conducted by Orange County Emergency Management detected hydrogen cyanide at a level of 0.5 parts per million at a meter placed adjacent to the facility while the fire was actively burning, which is approximately half of the maximum allowable level under federal guidelines. Downwind monitoring locations recorded zero readings. Monitoring continued through December 22 as battery temperatures declined and cleanup and investigation efforts began. We have requested a formal report of this testing, which will be shared when received.

A representative from Convergent arrived shortly before midnight. The site remained fully secured with 24-hour fire surveillance and police presence. We remained at the command center until approximately 3:00 a.m., and Chief Rader issued an initial press release to inform the public.

As background, the facility is located on private property within a Light Industrial District and received land use approval in 2021. Two similar battery storage units are located at the Warwick School Bus Garage on County Route One. In 2023, one of those units experienced a fire, and the Church Street unit experienced an overheating event, with both incidents attributed to moisture infiltration.

The Village has no rental agreement, financial interest, or business relationship with Convergent Energy. These units are designed to provide electrical backup to the grid during peak or emergency energy demand. At the time of the fire, the batteries were fully charged and were subsequently reduced to 50% capacity for safety.

A public briefing was held on the morning of Saturday, December 20 at 9:00 a.m. News outlets were notified, and the Village produced a short public safety video to keep residents informed. Participants included Fire Chief Lemin, Police Chief Rader, representatives from Convergent Energy, Town Supervisor Jesse Dwyer, members of the Village Board, and myself. As information was still developing, the intent was to provide transparency and public awareness. Convergent was asked to give written information on an ongoing basis to keep the public informed. These short releases were sent to the Town and WPD and posted on the Village’s website and Facebook. Our continual conversations with Convergent were about ownership of the incident and public transparency. Briefings were set up on an ongoing basis at 9:30 a.m. as well as 8:00 p.m.

Throughout the incident, air quality, fire temperatures, and the potential for fire spread were the primary concerns. Drone surveillance with infrared technology confirmed that while exterior paint on adjacent battery cells ignited, the fire itself remained contained to a single cell.

By the afternoon of Sunday, December 21, smoke had largely subsided and temperatures were decreasing. By Monday, December 22 at noon, conditions allowed Convergent technicians to enter the site for evaluation. The severe rain and wind prior to the fire may have contributed to water infiltration. The system has been disconnected from the power grid, internally disengaged, and tarped. Damaged batteries are expected to be removed, and a full investigative report will follow. The Village has requested additional surface, soil, and water testing and is in the process of retaining an independent consulting engineer.

Village legal counsel has issued formal correspondence to Convergent requiring that all costs associated with cleanup, testing, engineering, and police services be borne by the company. The letter also addresses the unauthorized activation of the system. Additionally, the Building Department has issued a Notice of Violation and Condemnation Order. Convergent does not currently hold a Certificate of Compliance due to its failure to comply with enhanced safety monitoring requirements and should not have been operational.

Following the incidents in 2023, the Village Board and Village Engineer requested additional safety monitoring, which was dismissed by both the battery manufacturer and Convergent. These failures raise serious concerns about accountability and public safety.

The Village Board extends its sincere appreciation to the Warwick Fire Department, Warwick Police Department, New York State Police, and Orange County HazMat Response Team for their professionalism and dedication to protecting our community.

The next Village Board meeting will be held on Monday, January 5, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in Village Hall, 77 Main Street, Warwick, NY 10990.