A bin lorry fire in Glen Parva demanded a ‘major clear-up operation’, a council has revealed.
The incident that occurred on March 20 is thought to have been caused by batteries being disposed of incorrectly, with Blaby District Council emphasising the ‘extremely hazardous’ consequences of doing so.
According to the council’s statement on Tuesday, the load of the recycling lorry had to be quickly ejected into the bus lane to prevent harm to staff and the public.
It also confirmed that the incident called for a ‘major clear-up operation’, as well as requiring both the police and the fire service to attend the scene, which had resulted in disruption to traffic.
The council noted that battery-related fires have been ‘extremely rare’ in the local area, but warned that they are increasing across the UK.
Paul Coates, Blaby District Council Group Manager for Neighbourhood Services, said: ‘Luckily the fast actions of our crew meant the fire incident was resolved safely, no one was injured and the lorry wasn’t damaged. However, it could have been very different, so we’re sending out a timely reminder to please never bin batteries, vapes or electricals.’
He added that batteries should always be recycled at dedicated points, such as in supermarkets, electrical appliance stores, waste centres, and vape shops, while individual batteries can be collected in a clear plastic bag on top of recycling bins.
Sign up here to receive our free weekly news bulletin and quarterly e-book.
Photo: © Ian Taylor.
Leave a Reply