Illinois Attorney General Sues Superior Battery Over Lithium Battery Fire That Forced Evacuations In Morris

MORRIS, Ill. (CBS) -- An industrial fire in Morris forced thousands of families from their homes for four days back in June.

The fire broke out inside a warehouse full of lithium batteries - 80 to 100 tons of them - as well as roofing materials and solar panels.

The burning batteries had to be smothered with 28 tons of cement. Firefighters resorted to the unconventional and possibly unprecedented tactic because using water or firefighting foam could have caused the batteries to explode.

On Tuesday, the Illinois Attorney General filed a lawsuit against the building's owner, Superior Battery, for endangering people's health and the environment.

Representatives from the City of Morris also say the owner didn't have a business license - so they had no idea what was inside the building until the fire.