Nelson Fire crews respond call at Leafs Recycling Depot
By Nelson Daily Staff
The Nelson Leafs Recycling Depot was the scene of a vehicle fire caused by exploding batteries Wednesday morning.
Nelson Fire Chief Simon Grypma and two menbers of the on-duty staff responded to the call at 10:46 a.m. near the local recycling facility at 120 Silica Street.
“The fire appears to have originated in a bag of lithium watch style batteries that were being transported to be recycled at a different facility,” Grypma said in a media release Wednesday afternoon.
“The interior of the vehicle sustained fire damage in the front area and smoke damage throughout.”
When fire personal responded to the call they found the fire had been had been substantially knocked down by persons in the area that had reacted quickly and utilized two dry chemical extinguishers.
Grypma said the first arriving crew’s primary objective was to ensure that the fire was completely out and assess to determine if there was a hazardous materials concern.
“Crews encountered a small amount of fire still in the vehicle that was quickly extinguished once they were able to access the interior,” he said.
In all, three firefighters responded to the incident with one fire engine, one tender truck, and one utility vehicle.
No injuries were reported as a result of this incident. Damage is estimated at $5500. The cause of the fire was the lithium batteries shorting out.
Grypma said Nelson Fire Rescue has had a number of instances where batteries have been stored in a drawer and something as simple as a paper clip has shorted it out and caused a fire.
“Batteries should be kept in their original packaging until required,” he explained.
“Proper battery storage in a dry, cool area with sufficient ventilation can extend the lifespan of most chemical batteries. Old batteries which have lost their charge should be discarded separately from regular household trash, much like other chemical substances such as household cleaners, paint and solvents.”
The Nelson Leafs Recycling Centre (Bottle Depot), located in the former Star Transfer building in Nelson, as well as accepting bottles, cans and milk containers also alllows the public to recycle electronic items at the depot, including computer equipment and televisions.
Nelson Fire Rescue would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to ensure that their storage and transportation of batteries is done safely and that there is no risk of the batteries shorting out or leaking.
