Li-ion Energy: Toxic smoke alert reissued for areas around Maddington lithium battery recycling facility
A fresh alert was raised on Sunday after toxic smoke began rising again from a lithium battery recycling plant in Maddington and was engulfed in flames, with one person taken to hospital.
At the time, residents were warned to stay indoors to avoid dangerous fumes after a fire at Li-ion Energy began emitting toxic smoke.
The warning was issued just before 3 p.m., but was downgraded to general alert a few hours later and lifted Monday morning.
However, the warning was re-issued at 11.27 am on Wednesday after the smoke began to pose a health risk in the surrounding area.
“HAZMAT Fire flares up at Burwash Place in Maddington,” the alert read.
“A fire at a recycling facility is causing potentially hazardous smoke to form to the north-east in the area bounded by Kelvin Road, Westfield Avenue, Pitchford Avenue and Attfield Avenue.
“As a precautionary measure, people in the area should stay indoors, away from smoke or fumes, with doors and windows closed.”
At 1.30pm a Fire and Emergency Service spokesman said there was no active fire in the building.
They said residual heat from the batteries triggered flare-ups, causing smoke to increase, but DFES crews managed to bring conditions under control.
Firefighters remained at the scene just before 2pm on Wednesday.
Li-ion Energy, located at the intersection of the Albany Highway and Burwash Place in Gosnells, recycles and refurbishes lithium batteries.
A man in his 40s was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital for smoke inhalation, while another man was treated at the scene on Sunday.
