Firefighters quickly extinguished a container fire Monday morning at the county’s Southwest Recycling and Transfer Station in Mountlake Terrace, according to South County Fire.
No one was hurt, and crews remained on scene to make sure the fire was fully out.
The cause remains under investigation.
Officials used the incident as a reminder that improper disposal of certain items can lead to dangerous fires in garbage or recycling containers.
South County Fire urged residents never to throw hot coals or ashes, any type of battery — particularly lithium-ion batteries — or combustible liquids such as gasoline or paint thinner into trash or recycling bins.
The agency advised letting ashes cool completely before disposal and encouraged residents to find proper battery recycling drop-off sites.
Battery recycling locations can be found at call2recycle.org.
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