A large fire at a recycling facility in Brisbane’s east has been contained after triggering major road closures, business evacuations and health warnings over toxic smoke, with emergency crews expected to remain on site into Thursday night.
The blaze broke out just after 3pm at a facility on Lytton Road in Hemmant, sending a thick plume of smoke across the industrial corridor and prompting a rapid response from the Queensland Fire Department. More than a dozen crews were initially deployed, and by Thursday evening, 13 fire trucks remained at the scene.
Authorities confirmed the fire was contained to a shed, but three of its four bays were affected, highlighting the scale of the incident despite efforts to prevent it spreading further across the site.
Lytton Road was closed in both directions as firefighters worked to secure the area, with motorists urged to avoid the zone. Nearby businesses were evacuated due to the toxic smoke hazard, while residents in surrounding areas were advised to keep windows and doors shut as smoke drifted through parts of Brisbane’s east.
Queensland Fire Department local area commander Inspector Rohan Wilschefski said the facility handled scrap metal and battery recycling, including lithium batteries. He said the fire started in the storage and processing area, where materials had ignited.
“In their storage processing area materials have caught on fire, primarily around lead-acid and household batteries, and with a small amount of lithium batteries,” he said.
The involvement of battery materials adds complexity to the incident. Lead-acid batteries can release hazardous substances when damaged or exposed to heat, while lithium batteries are known for intense heat generation and the risk of reignition. In facilities where large volumes are stored together, fires can escalate quickly and require extended containment efforts.
Authorities also moved quickly to assess environmental risks. Scientific officers were deployed to monitor nearby waterways to ensure chemicals from the site did not leak into the surrounding environment. Such monitoring is a standard precaution in fires involving industrial materials, where runoff and airborne particles can pose longer-term risks beyond the immediate blaze.
Evacuations, health warnings and emergency response
The emergency response extended well beyond firefighting operations. The evacuation of nearby businesses reflected concerns about air quality, particularly given the mix of burning materials. Thick smoke remained visible over the area into the evening, reinforcing warnings for residents to limit exposure.
Inspector Wilschefski said the fire was now mostly contained within the storage areas, but crews would continue working on hot spots and monitoring conditions into the night to prevent flare-ups.
Despite the scale of the incident, firefighters said there were no concerns about the building’s structural integrity, which helped crews keep the fire confined to the affected shed. One firefighter was treated for overheating during the response, though there were no broader reports of injuries.
The incident has drawn wider attention because it highlights the risks associated with recycling facilities that handle mixed and hazardous materials. As battery use increases across households and industries, more of these materials are entering the waste and recycling stream, raising the stakes for safe storage and processing.
Fires in such environments can quickly become complex emergencies, involving not only firefighting but also evacuation planning, environmental monitoring and public health measures. Thursday’s fire in Hemmant showed how rapidly those layers can unfold in a busy industrial area.
Fire investigators are expected to attend the scene as part of efforts to determine the cause of the blaze. Their findings will be closely watched, particularly in a sector facing growing scrutiny over fire prevention and risk management.
Residents seeking the latest updates and safety advice can monitor official alerts through the Queensland Fire Department’s incident page, as crews continue operations at the site and authorities assess the full impact of the fire.
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