A battery-powered hoover has been identified as the cause of a fire in a council-owned vehicle.
The incident in the Breckland Council refuse vehicle took place on Tuesday last week, with Norfolk Fire and Rescue services being called for during the Serco crew’s morning rounds.
It has since been confirmed that a battery-operated hoover is thought to have ignited the fire, with the item having been disposed of incorrectly.
Helen Crane, Breckland Council’s Executive Member for Waste, commented: ‘This was a serious incident but it was stopped from escalating further thanks to the quick thinking and actions of our Serco bin crews, who drove the vehicle to a safe area and immediately called the fire service.’
She added: ‘This incident is a timely reminder of just how important it is that batteries and small electrical items are kept separate to the normal rubbish, ensuring they can be recycled when possible and not accidentally crushed.’
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