Authorities in Western Australia are still urging the public to avoid a hazardous waste site as specialists race to remove toxic materials left behind by a massive battery fire. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said crews are aiming to clear the site by Monday, but a HAZMAT alert will stay in place until air‑quality testing confirms the area is safe.
Mitch Walker from the affected centre said chemists have been “working around the clock” to complete testing as quickly as possible. The facility had stored 100 tonnes of lithium‑ion, lithium‑metal and lead‑acid batteries, making it the largest battery fire ever recorded in the state.
DFES incident controller Leigh Bishop told a community meeting that it was the combination of battery types that made the blaze so difficult to extinguish. The mixture created unpredictable fire behaviour, forcing firefighters to take extreme caution as they battled the flames.
With hazardous materials still being removed and air‑quality checks ongoing, authorities say residents should continue to steer clear of the area until the site is fully secured.
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