The IDF’s failure to properly dispose of 2,000 lithium batteries led to a fire in a nearby explosives warehouse in the Sirkin Base in Petach Tikvah. The fire occurred a month ago, in the base of an elite unit and the fire is still under investigation.

It is reported the batteries are sensitive to moisture and as a result of improper storage, they began releasing poisonous gases and the blaze resulted. Environmental Ministry officials report that they have been warning the IDF over the years against storing lithium batters in Sirkin, but the military preferred to ignore the warnings. Ministry officials insisted the storage of the batteries posed a health risk to the public but the warnings fell on deaf ears. It is pointed out that earth was dumped over the batteries to extinguish the blaze, which resulted in the contamination of the earth and ground water.

An Environmental Ministry team arrived on the base and determined the fire did not pose a threat to the area. The experts report the lithium coming into contact with water is what caused the fire and when the batteries were hit with rainfall, the fire broke out.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)