Ah submarine batteries, one of two things on the boat that was referred to as "the bomb." I haven't seen this movie but after this am quite interested in it. Now on to batteries, hydrogen, and you! As was mentioned earlier when the batteries on a submarine are being charged they give off hydrogen gas. It is extremely important to control the hydrogen levels in the boat as 4% becomes combustible and 8% becomes explosive. Any source of heat will cause the hydrogen to ignite. There was a US submarine (who's name escapes me atm) that had a battery fire at sea and had to be abandoned.
So to answer the question posed this would have been a fire as a result of hydrogen buildup. However at 17% concentration in an enclosed space it would have exploded and tore a hole into the boat.
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USS Kentucky SSBN 737 (G)
Comms Div 2003-2006
Qualified 19 November 03
Yes I was really on a submarine.
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