The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office has concluded that two commercial building fires that occurred in New Castle County over the weekend were accidental in nature.
The first fire broke out on Friday night, July 12, at approximately 7:15 PM at the Tri State Battery building, located at 107 Albe Drive in Newark, Delaware. Deputy Fire Marshals arrived on the scene and identified an electrical malfunction involving a lithium-ion battery as the cause. The malfunction led to the ignition of nearby combustibles, resulting in significant damage to the building. The building’s sprinkler system effectively contained the fire until the Fire Department arrived, preventing further spread. The estimated damage is valued at $75,000, and there were no reported injuries.
The second incident occurred the following day, Saturday, July 13, at around 12:30 PM at the Delaware Solid Waste Authority, situated at 1101 Lambsons Lane in New Castle, Delaware. Upon investigation, Deputy Fire Marshals determined that the fire was sparked by an undetermined heat source that ignited combustibles within the building. Similar to the previous incident, the sprinkler system activated and controlled the fire until Fire Department personnel arrived. This fire caused an estimated $100,000 in damage, with no injuries reported.