Trash Pile at Sunset Park Entrance Caught Fire After Battery Exploded

By Y.M. Lowy

A large pile of illegally dumped trash at the entrance to Sunset Park caught fire after a discarded lithium-ion battery apparently ignited.

The fire broke out around 1:13 p.m. near 41st Street and 6th Avenue as Parks Department workers were loading garbage from the pile into a garbage truck. Firefighters were called to the scene and quickly put out the flames. No injuries were reported.

The trash pile has been a growing problem at the northern entrance to the park throughout the summer, with residents complaining about the amount of garbage being dumped there. The pile has included household items and discarded appliances and has at times taken up much of the walkway into the park.

Residents have also reported seeing rats around the garbage and say the pile has become a regular dumping spot rather than an occasional buildup of trash.

The battery involved in the fire was removed by the city Department of Environmental Protection and turned over to a recycling contractor for proper disposal.

Battery-related fires have become an ongoing problem in New York City, particularly when lithium-ion batteries are thrown out with regular garbage. According to the Department of Sanitation, 141 garbage trucks have caught fire so far this year, with 63 of those fires attributed to batteries.