By Associated Press - Sunday, April 21, 2019

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) - Authorities say one of four Peoria firefighters injured in an explosion at an Arizona Public Service Co. facility in Surprise has been discharged from a hospital.

Three others now are in stable condition after Friday night’s incident.

Surprise police say authorities responded to a report of smoke at the McMicken Energy Storage facility and called for more resources after realizing hazardous materials may have been involved.



The facility contains a utility-scaled battery to store and distribute solar energy.

The firefighters were evaluating the lithium battery when there was an explosion that left them with chemical and chemical-inhalation burns.

Three of the firefighters were flown to Maricopa Medical Center’s burn unit in Phoenix while another was taken to a hospital west of Phoenix.

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

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