LEWISTON, Maine — A lithium-ion battery may be to blame for a fire at a recycling plant in Lewiston.
The fire happened Wednesday morning at the Casella plant on River Road.
Firefighters say the fire broke out on a conveyor belt, but was quickly put out before it could spread to nearby piles of recyclables.
A truck explosion outside the Blaine House in Augusta earlier this month was also caused by a lithium-ion battery failure, officials said. The battery was attached to a cordless drill in the back of the pickup parked on Chamberlain Street, according to the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Additionally, a Falmouth couple also says a fire at their home was sparked by a lithium-ion battery in a massage gun.
Federal legislation was recently introduced to set consumer standards for these batteries. The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office says they are working to track similar fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.