My fire plug is doing the same thing. I have taken it apart twice and I still haven't got it right. It is a tough one, so if you get it to work right post a pic. I really need to dig back into it, I have been rebuilding motorcycles for the last couple of months, but the weather is getting cold. Time to come back inside to the pins. Congrats on the Fire! It is a cool game... HAHHAHHAHA

Neutralize that stuff with a q-tip and a baking soda/water mix, in case you forgot you high school chemistry.

Hmmm....

Well, it depends on the batteries that you are using.

In an alkaline battery, the anode (negative terminal) is made of zinc powder, which gives more surface area for increased current, and the cathode (positive terminal) is composed of manganese dioxide. The alkaline electrolyte of potassium hydroxide is not consumed during discharge.
Section through an alkaline battery.

The half-reactions are:[11]

Zn(s) + 2OH−(aq) → ZnO(s) + H2O(l) + 2e− [e° = -1.28 V]
2MnO2(s) + H2O(l) + 2e− → Mn2O3(s) + 2OH−(aq) [e° = +0.15 V]

Overall reaction:

\mathrm{Zn_{(s)} + 2MnO_{2(s)} \leftrightharpoons Mn_2O_{3(s)} + ZnO_{(s)}} [e° = 1.43 V]

I have had really good luck cleaning battery leakage with baking soda and water, but the chemistry would suggest it is more the water. Apparently I should have studied more in high school.

Interesting read:

Alkaline batteries are prone to leaking potassium hydroxide, a caustic agent that can cause respiratory, eye and skin irritation.[note 1] This can be reduced by not attempting to recharge disposable alkaline cells, not mixing different battery types in the same device, replacing all of the batteries at the same time, storing in a dry place, and removing batteries for storage of devices.

KOH is highly basic, forming strongly alkaline solutions in water and other polar solvents. These solutions are capable of deprotonating many acids, even weak ones. In analytical chemistry, titrations using solutions of KOH are used to assay acids.