Dangerous fire

Disposed of in waste paper: Defective battery caught fire

A vacuum cleaner battery (small picture) disposed of in waste paper (!) almost set fire to a refuse collection vehicle in the state capital.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Freiwillige Feuerwehr St. Pölten Pottenbrunn)

The fire department appeals for batteries to be disposed of properly. A near-disaster in St. Pölten recently showed what can happen if this is not done.

More and more devices are doing without power plugs and are instead powered by rechargeable batteries. Wireless use is convenient for users, but the batteries eventually reach the end of their service life. And then where to put them?

Definitely not simply into the nearest garbage bin, as a recent fire department operation in St. Pölten has once again clearly shown. This is because major damage was prevented at almost the last second thanks to the quick action of attentive refuse collection staff.

Suddenly smoke rose
They were driving through the middle of a housing estate in the Pottenbrunn district when they saw smoke rising from the back of their vehicle. As the waste paper they had already collected was stored inside, all the alarm bells rang. The waste was immediately emptied onto the road to prevent the fire from spreading.

As a result, not only was the fire quickly extinguished, but the perpetrator was also identified. In the midst of the cardboard and paper waste was a burnt-out vacuum cleaner battery, which - if it was not already defective - had probably been damaged during disposal and burst into flames due to a chemical reaction.

"We'll help at any time, but..."
"We are ready to help around the clock. But incidents like this can be avoided if hazardous waste such as batteries or accumulators are disposed of properly," says the fire department, referring to recycling collection centers where this waste can be handed in free of charge.