Battle Creek Area Walmart Evacuated Due To Fire

Customers and employees were evacuated from the Walmart on B Drive North in Emmett Township late Tuesday morning for a fire that began near the loading dock.

Emmet Township firefighters responded at 11:10 a.m. on Tuesday to reports of a fire at the Walmart located at 6020 B Drive North in Emmett Township. When they arrived they found a trash compacter in the loading dock area on fire.

Employees of the store were able to extinguish most of the blaze prior to the first firefighters arriving on the scene. Fire crews cleared smoke from the area and the remainder of the store was completely unaffected, according to the Battle Creek Enquirer.

As a precaution, employees and customers were evacuated from the store but were able to return a short time later.

The cause of the fire is believed to be a lithium battery that was connected to a circuit board that caught fire when being crushed in the trash compactor. The battery was supposed to be removed prior to the trash being compacted.