EMR has revealed that a lithium-ion battery was the likely cause of a blaze at one of its sites in the South East last week.
Essex County Fire & Rescue Service sent four engines to the incident involving “a large amount of scrap metal” at a recycling centre on Station Road in East Tilbury on Thursday 30 October.
EMR has confirmed that the blaze happened at its premises and said the situation was “brought under control in a timely manner”.
“We are pleased to report that no injuries were sustained and there has been no structural damage to the site or equipment,” it added.
“Initial investigations suggest that a lithium-ion battery was the cause of the fire.
“We remain committed to working closely with our customers, partners and battery manufacturers to reduce the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries.”
A senior waste professional recently branded battery-related fire risk as the most dangerous issue he’s come across in the sector.
Craig Konczak, business director of material recovery facilities (MRFs) at Biffa, spoke out after the company experienced a number of blazes over the summer.
