Recycling centre fire ‘caused by a battery’
SPARKS THOUGHT TO HAVE IGNITED NEARBY MATERIALS
A FIRE which broke out at a recycling centre in Gateshead is “likely” to have been caused by a battery, as the council issues a warning on disposing rubbish.
Emergency services received a report of a fire at the Household Waste and Recycling Centre in Wrekenton at 2.28am on February 28.
The centre was closed after the serious blaze with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service describing it as a “deep-seated fire”.
Northumbria Police closed the road and also urged members of the public to avoid the area.
Gateshead Council has since issued fresh warnings about the safe disposal of batteries after a similar fire broke out last week at the Middlefields Recycling Village in neighbouring South Tyneside.
The fire is believed to have been started by sparks from a phone battery which had been thrown into the waste causing other rubbish to ignite.
Thankfully, staff on site reacted quickly to get the fire under control and limit any damage.
Although the definitive cause of the fire at Gateshead is not yet known, it is thought that the blaze was also caused by batteries.
Gateshead Council has since urged residents once again never to throw old batteries or battery-operated devices into the bin.
Marc Morley, Gateshead Council’s service director for Highways and Waste, says: “Two fires in as many weeks show the very real dangers of throwing old phone or laptop batteries into the bin.
“These types of batteries can hold a surprisingly powerful charge and when they are thrown into a bin there is a serious risk that they could be damaged and touch something metal, like the inside of the bin lorry or even an empty tin can. This is known to generate sparks which can ignite everything around it.
“We don’t yet know for definite what caused the Wrekenton fire, but this remains the most likely cause.
“All councils are currently seeing a huge increase in the numbers of people visiting their household waste and recycling centres and it’s clear that many people are spending their lockdown time in clearing out their homes and gardens. This greatly increases the risk of further fires.
“We are therefore urging the public never to throw old batteries or battery-operated devices like mobile phones into their bins. Instead, please dispose of batteries responsibly at battery recycling points in local shops, supermarkets and dozens of public buildings, electrical retailers and other High Street stores.
“Both batteries and battery-powered devices can also be recycled at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres.”
Julie Craigie, regional manager for SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, says: “If batteries or battery-operated devices are put in a general waste or recycling bin, as soon as they are tipped into the collection trucks they become dangerous and can cause fires.
“We know that people won’t intentionally cause a fire and risk injury to collection crews and damage to our facilities, but by not disposing of batteries and electronic devices properly that is what can happen.
“We would ask everyone to please take a moment to consider what you are throwing into the bin and if it is battery or a device with a sealed battery unit, please dispose of it correctly.
“There are battery collection points in most supermarkets and many High Street shops, and small electrical items can be taken you your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre.”
Last August, a fire at a Hartlepool recycling plant thought to have been caused by a battery led to Gateshead Council issuing a warning to residents not to put batteries in the bin.
This followed an outbreak of fire inside a Gateshead Council waste lorry in November 2018 while the vehicle was on its rounds in Felling.