Wire Wool and fire risks associated with batteries.
I put my
spare alkaline PP3 battery for the workshop alarm in what I thought
was a safe place, with all my steel wool and polishes. One day
after taking a length of 0000 steel wool, I closed the cupboard
door. I went straight back in because I forgot the Danish Oil, and
found the whole hank of steel wool glowing red and flaming. I
quickly grabbed it by the cardboard packing and threw it out of the
door, where it burned for several minutes. I could have lost the
whole workshop.
Subsequent tests showed that touching the terminals against 0000
steel wool ignited it immediately. According to the fire brigade,
steel wool is very difficult to extinguish and large quantities
would have been a real problem.
I now keep my batteries in the main house, and the steel wool in a
sealed box. Take care.