Acton Fire Responds to Dumpster Fire at Transfer Station

Acton Fire Crews extinguished a dumpster fire at the Transfer Station Saturday morning likely caused by the improper disposal of a battery. (Photo Courtesy Acton Fire Department)

ACTON — Chief Anita Arnum reports that the Acton Fire Department responded to a dumpster fire at the Acton Transfer Station on Saturday morning.

On Saturday, June 6, at about 7:21 a.m., Acton Fire responded to the Acton Transfer Station & Recycling Center at 193 Massachusetts Ave. for a reported dumpster fire. 

A loader operator was moving material from metal pile into a dumpster when he noticed gray smoke and flame.

Acton Fire crews arrived to find an active fire in dumpster.

 A subsequent investigation revealed the fire’s cause was most likely a ruptured lithium ion and/or other batteries discarded in the metal pile that ignited other materials in the dumpster including foam, plastic, wood, wicker and rubber.

Crews were able to extinguish the fire quickly without incident. No injuries were reported. 

The Acton Fire Department reminds residents that all batteries, not just lithium-ion batteries, need to be disposed of properly.

“The transfer station has procedures to accept batteries,” said Acton Fire Chief Anita Arnum. “Improperly disposed batteries can cause fires and other hazards. Please follow the proper protocol to avoid incidents like this in the future.”

The Acton Transfer Station & Recycling Center has the following policies in place for battery disposal: 

• Rechargeable & Button Batteries: Hand these directly to the gatehouse attendant for free recycling. This includes Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cad), Lithium, Lithium-ion, and small button-cell batteries. Do not throw these in the trash as they pose a major fire hazard.
• Embedded Batteries (E-Waste): For devices like laptops or electric toothbrushes with non-removable batteries, leave the battery inside and drop the item off in the E-Waste area. An active Transfer Station sticker or a recycling-only sticker ($20) is required to access this area.
  

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Acton Fire Crews extinguished a dumpster fire at the Transfer Station Saturday morning likely caused by the improper disposal of a battery. (Photo Courtesy Acton Fire Department)