SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Fire Department fought a one-alarm fire caused by improper disposal of lithium batteries at the Recology Center warehouse. Lieutenant Jonathan Baxter advised using the Recology website to properly dispose of batteries and other electronics.
The SFFD responded to an incident report at 501 Tunnel Avenue on July 12 at approximately 3:16 p.m. A pile of metal caught fire at the sorting warehouse after lithium batteries were disposed of improperly.
Recology staff members assisted in extinguishing the fire and put safety protocols into full effect, according to Lieutenant Baxter via the Citizen App. Recology staff allowed firefighters to report directly to the cause of the fire by quick action.
Firefighters confirmed the warehouse fire was under control at approximately 4:25 p.m. No injuries were reported by the SFFD as a result of the fire, and no individuals were unaccounted for inside the building.
The Recology website offers safety information regarding illegal disposal of batteries, florescent bulbs, pesticides, electronics, and other chemicals. These materials cannot be disposed of in trash bins, according to the Recology hazardous waste website.
Batteries can be placed on top of a closed landfill bin in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Both ends of lithium batteries must be taped, according to Recology. Batteries can also be dropped off at any Walgreens store in San Francisco, most hardware stores, or the Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
