Firefighters have issued a reminder of their lithium-ion battery advice following a fire at a scrap metal yard on Randlesdown Road in Bellingham.
Half of two ISO containers, part of two skips and part of a flat bed lorry were damaged by the fire. A three metre by three metre area of scrap metal was destroyed by the fire. One man was treated on scene by London Ambulance Service.
The fire has been recorded as accidental and the most probable cause is a lithium battery that ignited within the waste.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Lithium-ion battery fires are a major risk. We’ve seen a growing number of fires at waste disposal sites that are believed to have been caused by a lithium battery.
"Although lithium-ion battery products that have been built to a poor standard are a higher fire risk, any battery is at risk of exploding and catching fire if it has been crushed or becomes damaged. Lithium-ion battery fires can be ferocious and can spread in seconds. Fires that we attend at sites like recycling centres and scrap yards can be very time consuming for our firefighters and often require a high level of resources to put the fire out. We’ve also seen the detrimental environmental and societal impact these fires can have on local communities.
"Lithium batteries and electricals with hidden lithium-ion batteries should not be placed in the same bins as your regular rubbish or recycling. Instead, check with the retailer or your local authority's website for the safest way to dispose of lithium-ion batteries in your area and reduce the risk of fires occurring."
One of the Brigade's 32-metre turntable ladders was used at the scene as an observation tower to provide the Incident Commander with sight of the fire from above.
Control Officers took the first of 29 calls at 1733 and the fire was under control by 1843. Crews from Lewisham, Forest Hill, Beckenham and surrounding fire stations attended the scene.