The London Fire Brigade has issued a lithium-ion battery safety advice reminder to the public following an accidental fire at a waste recycling centre on Civic Way in Northolt on Monday (28 October 2024).
Around 25 firefighters attended the incident which is believed to have been caused by a lithium battery. There were no injuries but 60 tonnes of mixed household waste was damaged by the fire.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Lithium-ion battery fires are a major risk. We’ve seen a growing number of fires at waste disposal sites that are believed to have been caused by a lithium battery.”
They added: “Although lithium-ion battery products that have been built to a poor standard are a higher fire risk, any battery is at risk of exploding and catching fire if it has been crushed or becomes damaged. Lithium-ion battery fires can be ferocious and can spread in seconds. Fires that we attend at sites like recycling centres and scrap yards can be very time consuming for our firefighters and often require a high level of resources to put the fire out. We’ve also seen the detrimental environmental and societal impact these fires can have on local communities.
“Lithium batteries and electricals with hidden lithium-ion batteries should not be placed in the same bins as your regular rubbish or recycling. Instead, check with the retailer or your local authority’s website for the safest way to dispose of lithium-ion batteries in your area and reduce the risk of fires occurring.”
