According to a report from Wisconsin State Journal, the Madison (WI) Fire Department (MFD) announced that the fire to which they responded on Tuesday afternoon at a facility on the city’s East side was caused by improperly discarded lithium-ion batteries.
On arrival to the facility, MFD crews found visible smoke coming from the front of a 30-cubic-yard trash compactor container. Facility employees were attempting to extinguish the flames with a garden hose, and firefighters said one employee told them the compactor should have contained only cardboard and pallets.
MFD crews positioned an attack line between the compactor and the rest of the refuse container to prevent fire spread. After assessing the situation, firefighters found they needed additional water that their 500-gallon tank did not provide and called for assistance. Another crew placed a hose nozzle inside the compactor through an opening, and a tow truck separated the compactor from the rest of the container.
After clearing its contents, MFD firefighters found the lithium-ion batteries mixed in with other trash in plastic grocery bags. Some of the batteries were covered with tape.
The fire did not spread outside the compactor, and no further damage or injuries have been reported.
Firefighters said that it is best to dispose of lithium-ion batteries by bringing them to a e-recycling vendor.
They also said the batteries must be kept separate from other battery types, and people should cover their contact points with clear tape, with packing tape being best. The taped batteries should be put into the appropriate container at a city drop-off site, or which there are several.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources now offers information on proper battery disposal.
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