An extensive fire at a scrap yard is thought to have been started by a discarded battery, according to a recent report.
In September 2021, firefighters battled a fire at Norton Scrap and Co. in Kirkdale, Liverpool, for two days.
According to the results of the fire investigation, the flames “originated in the garbage from the electrical and electronic equipment pile.”
According to the investigation, a lithium-ion battery that had been thrown away was the “probable ignition source” of the fire.
The information was made public in a report following a meeting between the environmental agency (EA), neighboring local governments, and the public health and emergency preparedness agencies of Liverpool City Council.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting service, the inquiry also looked at whether the proper protocols had been in place at the time of the incident.
Although thermal imaging equipment had been set up at the site to find hotspots in the garbage, the study said that “it had not been completely used” and had blind areas.
The thermal imaging equipment has subsequently undergone improvements, though.
To help the fire department respond better in the future, an evaluation of the site’s access was also conducted.
The operator may be subject to enforcement or legal action should they violate the terms of their permission, according to the report, which also noted that regular site visits had been implemented.
According to the report, “it was agreed that when incidents like the Norton’s fire occurred, clear lines of communication between the operators of waste metal facilities and the various agencies, such as the [fire service], were needed, as it was obvious that this hadn’t been the case in the September 2021 incident.
This was demonstrated by the fact that a member of the public called 999 to alert the fire brigade of the incident.
The study also said that additional personnel outside of regular business hours has been implemented to raise awareness of possible events before they happen.
