Discarded Battery May Have Sparked December Fire at Fredericton Landfill

A simple 9-volt battery may have sparked a major fire that raged for nearly 12 hours on New Year's Eve at the Fredericton landfill.  

A captain with the Fredericton Fire Department says a 9-volt lithium battery is believed to have caused a blaze that swept through the Fredericton Region Solid Waste Commission's recycling building. The fire destroyed the building and up to $75,000 worth of recyclables.

Officials warn that batteries should never be thrown in with regular trash. The Fredericton Firefighters Association also says if you store your old batteries to be recycled/disposed of, please tape over the contacts of 9-volt batteries so they can't arc and start a fire.