Batteries cause industrial estate fire
Lithium ion batteries are believed to be the cause of a blaze which ripped through a Perth industrial estate.
The fire broke out in the early hours on Tuesday, May 22 at Viridor in Friarton Industrial Estate. At the height of the fire, around 35 firefighters were called to put the fire out, and were using water from the nearby River Tay. No-one was injured in the incident. A spokesperson for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said:“The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 12.50am on Tuesday, May 22 to reports of a fire within industrial buildings in Friartion Bridge Park, Friarton Road, Perth.
“Operations Control mobilised a number of fire engines to the scene and firefighters worked to contain and extinguish a large and well-developed fire.
“Crews left at 6.20am after ensuring the area was made safe.”
The Viridor base is the only plant in Fire crews at the Viridor plant Scotland where people can recycle waste electrical and electronic equipment.
A spokesperson for the company said the fire was most probably down to lithium ion batteries.
The spokesperson said:“A fire at Viridor’s Perth waste electrical and electronic equipment plant in the early hours of Tuesday morning (May 22) was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service with no injuries and no risk to public health. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency was notified and visited the site.
“Viridor understands the fire began at around 12.45am and was under control with no visible flame at 3am when the fire service continued to damp down the affected material and monitor it. The service [was] expected to leave the site at noon [Wednesday].
“The fire began and was contained within the yard of the waste electrical and electronic equipment facility and, while the cause of this incident has not been identified, waste site operators know that it is most likely attributed to lithium ion batteries.
“These batteries are the main cause of waste site fires. They are commonly found in a variety of products, including mobile phones, toys, cameras, e-cigarettes and laptop computers.
“Viridor asks people to responsibly dispose of these batteries at household waste recycling centres.
“The site operated as usual yesterday [Tuesday] and operations remain unaffected.”