Warning issued after fire service called to Cambs bin lorry fires
A warning has been issued by Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service about the dangers of throwing out lithium batteries. This follows on from two separate bin lorry blazes within an hour of each other.
Firefighters were called to Cambridge just after 7am on Wednesday (August 23) to a fire involving refuse from a lorry on Hauxton Road in Trumpington. Less than an hour later, crews were called to another lorry blaze in Bretton, Peterborough[1].
Both fires were caused by lithium-ion batteries being thrown out with household waste. The fire service is now urging residents to make sure they dispose of them carefully, either at shops with a battery bank or at a recycling centre.
Firefighters at the scene in Cambridge (Image: Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service)
Station Commander Gareth Boyd, community risk manager for the service, said: “We have seen an increase in fires involving batteries in refuse lorries over recent months. Due to the heat generated and the crushing of the batteries during the process, the lithium in the batteries will set fire to the waste in the lorry.
“Our crews work with the refuse collectors to empty the vehicle to prevent the fire from spreading, but this involves significant disruption to the road network.
“Please do not dispose of any battery types, small or large, in household waste or recycling bins. These cause unnecessary and avoidable fires and put people at risk.”
References
- ^ Peterborough (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)
- ^ Everything we know so far about A14 crash that has left road shut in Cambridgeshire (www.cambridge-news.co.uk)