FIRE BROKE OUT IN A BATTERY RECYLCING FACILITY Saturday afternoon in the Kootenays region of British Columbia. The fire started around 4 pm Pacific time in the Toxoco Waste Management Facility in Fruitvale. The plant is still burning on Sunday morning, but the fire, which spread to an adjoining building, has been contained.
The RCMP said stored lithium batteries exploded after a fire started in a small underground building at the Toxco plant, and the flames quickly spread next door to bundles of plastic and cardboard at Alpine Recycling. They say that there were no people on the property at the time of the fire. Witnessess say there were several explosions around 5 pm followed by a lot of flames and orange smoke.
Toxco advised the public that sulphur dioxide gas that had been given off during the fire did not pose any risk to the public, as it dissipated into the atmosphere.
The plant recycles materials from lithium batteries and recovers zinc and other metals from alkaline batteries.
Canadian Press has the STORY.
Also on FireGeezer…
- Houston Gas Plant Ka-Boom – February 8, 2011
- Recycling Plant Ka-Boom in UK – October 4, 2011
- Fatal Ka-Boom at Recycling Center – December 15, 2010
- Glue Factory Blast and Fire Create Sticky Situation for Haz-Mat Team – March 14, 2011
