Two commercial fires under investigation – First update from the state

The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office has concluded that two fires in commercial buildings in New Castle County over the weekend were accidents.

The first fire broke out at approximately 7:15 p.m. on Friday evening, July 12, at the Tri State Battery building at 107 Albe Drive in Newark, Delaware. Deputy fire marshals arrived on scene and determined the cause was an electrical fault with a lithium-ion battery. The fault caused the ignition of nearby combustible materials, resulting in significant damage to the building. The building’s sprinkler system successfully contained the fire until firefighters arrived, preventing it from spreading further. Estimated damage is estimated at $75,000, and no injuries were reported.

The second incident occurred the following day, Saturday, July 13, at approximately 12:30 p.m. at the Delaware Solid Waste Authority, 1101 Lambsons Lane in New Castle, Delaware. After investigation, deputy fire marshals determined that the fire was started by an undetermined heat source that ignited combustible materials in the building. Similar to the previous incident, the sprinkler system was activated and the fire was brought under control until firefighters arrived. This fire caused an estimated $100,000 in damage, no injuries were reported.