A fire developing on a conveyor belt at the Forest Road Waste Management Park in Newport – caused by a lithium-ion battery – sparked a call out for fire crews this morning (Monday). At 10:54 the fire alarm was activated at the Forest Road site upon the detection of a small fire. The on-site investigation team used equipment to ensure the fire was brought into a safe and controllable state. However, due to the location of the fire, which meant that access was restricted, the assistance of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service was called upon. Firefighters from Newport and Ryde spent around 90 minutes on scene using hose reel jets to fully extinguish and dampen down the affected area. It has been confirmed that the source of the fire was a lithium-ion battery – collected from a household – within the dry mixed recyclable material. An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson has said:
“Fires caused by Lithium Ion Batteries are common in waste facilities. We encourage members of the public to dispose of these items correctly to avoid such incidents from occurring. “The team at the Thalia Waste Management Park responded to the incident in a planned and controlled way. This allowed them to work alongside the fire service to prevent the spread of fire and subsequent damage of processing equipment”.
Information on how to dispose of batteries safely can be found on the Isle of Wight Council website at https://www.iow.gov.uk/recycling-and-waste/general-waste/battery-collection/.
