San Diego College Students Displaced after Lithium-ion Battery Sparks Fire

The overheated battery in a San Diego State University dorm hallway activated a sprinkler.
March 5, 2026

Students in 16 units in a dormitory building at San Diego State University were displaced Tuesday night after a lithium-ion battery overheated, a San Diego fire official said.

Firefighters responded to Tenochca Hall at SDSU, an eight-story dorm building, after someone reported a fire on the fourth floor around 10:50 p.m.

When firefighters arrived, they found “an overheated micro-mobility lithium-ion battery” in a fourth-floor hallway, which had triggered a fire alarm, San Diego Fire- Rescue spokesperson Jason Shanley said. The overheated battery, which may have been used to power a scooter, also activated the building’s sprinklers, he said.

A total of 16 dormitory units were impacted by water damage, Shanley said. He said a SDSU official coordinated “alternative sleeping arrangements” for the displaced students.

Two people reportedly suffered smoke inhalation, and one person suffered minor burns. They were evacuated and treated by medics, he said.

No other information was immediately available.

©2026 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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