Lithium-Ion Battery the Expected Cause of ME Recycling Plant Fire

According to a report from WGME, a lithium-ion battery is the expected cause of a fire that erupted in a Lewiston, Maine, recycling plant Wednesday morning.



The Lewiston Fire Department (LFD) responded to the Casella Plant on River Road after crews said flames had broken out on a conveyer belt. However, LFD firefighters extinguished it quickly before it could spread to piles of recyclables close by.

Officials are now considering whether or not the flames were caused by a lithium-ion battery.

Earlier this month, officials said a truck explosion outside the Blaine House in Augusta was started by a lithium-ion battery failure. The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office said the battery was attached to a cordless drill in the rear of a pickup truck parked on Chamberlain Street.

CBS 13 News/Twitter


Also, in Falmouth, a couple stated that the fire that erupted in their home recently was sparked by a lithium-ion battery in a massage gun.

Recently, federal legislation was introduced to set consumer standards for lithium-ion batteries. The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office said they are monitoring their danger and now tracking similar incidents.

RELATED

The Lithium-Ion Revolution

Humpday Hangout: Lithium-Ion Battery Fires

Electrifying

New Orleans (LA) Vacant House Fire

Two-Alarm Fire Breaks Out at New Orleans (LA) Vacant House, Authorities Say

A vacant house caught fire in the 7th Ward Saturday morning, according to the New Orleans Fire Department.
Pottsville (PA) House Fire

Woman Found Dead in Pottsville (PA) House Fire

An elderly woman succumbed to injuries in a deadly house fire Friday night, authorities said.