By Kevin Shea
nj.com
CAMDEN, N.J. — A lithium-ion battery that was improperly sent to a scrapyard in Camden caused a massive fire Friday night, the scrapyard company said Sunday.
The fire began at an EMR shredding facility on Front Street around 5 p.m. and sent plumes of smoke into the sky that could be seen for 15 miles, officials said.
Firefighters got it under control shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday, the company said in a statement.
No injuries were reported, EMR said.
A lithium-ion battery, “wrongly delivered to EMR and undetectably concealed within scrap metal,” is the suspected cause, the company side.
The scrapyard does not accept batteries for disposal or recycling, the company said.
The facility suffered “extensive damage” and will require significant repairs.
EMR, which has operated in the city for over 100 years, employs more than 500 area residents, including 150 from Camden.
During the fire, EMR provided over 100 hotel rooms and meals to affected Camden residents in the vicinity, the company said.
“We are angered that this happened and deeply regret any inconvenience to our neighbors,” the company’s statement said.
The company also said in the statement that the state and federal government regulate the risks of batteries.
“EMR and the recycling industry have consistently appealed for the regulation of these lethal devices but to no avail. Lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous and are often so small that they are imperceptible.”
“While EMR takes multiple proactive measures to prevent these batteries from entering our recycling stream, the government must act immediately. Lithium-ion battery manufacturers, companies that use the batteries in their products, and end users must be regulated to ensure that there are adequate disposal methods available for these non-recyclable items, with large penalties for those who do not comply,” the company said.
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