Battery Fire Triggers Hazmat Response At Scottsdale Trash Facility

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A lithium-ion battery fire inside Scottsdale’s Solid Waste Transfer Facility prompted a hazardous materials response after firefighters spotted black smoke coming from one of the buildings.

Scottsdale fire crews were called to the city’s trash transfer facility near Loop 101 and Hayden Road. The incident occurred at the solid waste facility—not the nearby water treatment plant—officials said.

Firefighters found an active fire in a pile of debris and upgraded the incident to a first-alarm hazmat response, bringing additional fire and hazardous materials crews to the scene.

The fire involved a lithium-ion battery in the burning debris, according to Scottsdale fire officials. Crews pulled back from the immediate area because of the hazards associated with the battery, including potentially toxic fumes.

Hazmat crews monitored conditions around the facility as firefighters worked to manage the fire.

The transfer facility is where Scottsdale’s residential garbage is delivered, unloaded, consolidated and loaded onto larger vehicles for transport to a landfill. The site handles hundreds of tons of trash each day.

Fire officials said improperly discarded rechargeable batteries remain a major fire hazard in the waste stream. Lithium-ion batteries are found in cellphones, laptops, power tools, rechargeable toys, e-bikes and other electronic devices.

When batteries are tossed in regular trash or recycling bins, they can be crushed, damaged or exposed to heat as they move through collection trucks, transfer facilities and recycling operations. That can cause fires before workers know a battery is present.

The Scottsdale fire underscores the risk that improperly discarded batteries pose to waste workers and firefighters. Residents should not place rechargeable batteries in household trash or recycling containers.

No injuries were immediately reported. Officials did not immediately release information on when the fire was fully contained.