Fire in Friedland: Lithium-ion battery triggers a large fire service!

Fire in Friedland: Lithium-ion battery triggers a large fire service!

On Monday afternoon, the New Environplasma recycling center in Friedland (district of Mecklenburg Lake District) occurred in a shocking fire. The fire broke out for electronic waste in the sorting and shredding system and ensured a certain turmoil, because first the employees themselves had approached fire fighting. Fortunately, despite the hectic situation, it was quickly traded.

The cause of the fire initially suspected had been indicated for negligent arson, but fire experts were able to quickly clear this suspicion. They discovered that an incorrectly disposed lithium-ion battery is considered the main cause. These batteries, which have been in use in various areas for over 30 years, birds special dangers, especially with improper handling or disposal, such as euwid reported.

The challenge with lithium-ion batteries

As the latest events in Friedland show, burning lithium-ion batteries can be a major challenge for the fire brigade. With overheating or mechanical effects, these batteries generate a thermal chain reaction that releases immense amounts of energy and also produces dangerous gases. The extinguishing measures are complicated, the housing often remains intact, which makes it difficult to access the burning material. The fire brigade had difficulties in the past, since the extinguishing agents were often not sufficient. An example of this are the heavy fires in Durach, where hundreds of memory batteries for photovoltaic systems were on fire and thousands of tons of electronic waste were destroyed, according to the fire protection information portal .

In Friedland, a total of 83 emergency services were mobilized by several fire brigades to control the flames. When asked for the damage to property, the police initially stated 100,000 euros before it was corrected to an estimated 30,000 euros. In addition to the material damage, an employee who was taken to the hospital due to possible flue gas poisoning was also affected.

The importance of fire protection measures

The incidents illustrate the need for correct handling and disposal of lithium-ion batteries. Good battery management is essential, especially when using in various industrial and private areas of application, to minimize possible fire hazards. The DGUV Information 205-041 offers important information and recommendations for the safe handling of lithium-ion batteries in companies, such as the Bgetem . In view of the challenges and risks, it is advisable for companies to take preventive measures and to find out about safe practices.

Although the fire in Friedland has now been deleted, the investigation into the exact cause of the fire and the processes in the recycling center for electronic waste remain on fire - there is still a lot of work to be done here.