Warning after bin lorry fire affects 6,000 homes

Bin collections from about 6,000 homes were affected because of the bin lorry fire

A warning about batteries was made after a fire broke out in a bin lorry.

Crews were collecting rubbish in the Elliott Road area of March, Cambridgeshire, when they noticed smoke from the back of the lorry on 11 May.

Four tonnes of waste went up in flames, which the fire service believed was caused by a lithium-ion battery.

Fenland District Council said the fire disrupted bin collections for about 6,000 properties and urged residents to recycle batteries properly.

Following the fire, the waste transfer station in March, where the fire was extinguished, was closed for the rest of the day.

The council said lithium-ion batteries, found in items such as mobile phones, toothbrushes, toys and e-cigarettes and vapes, can get crushed or damaged in bin lorries, which can cause explosions and trigger fires.

Peter Murphy, Fenland District Council’s portfolio holder for refuse and cleansing said: “Our very simple plea to residents is not to put any battery, electrical item or vape into any household waste bin, or indeed any waste bin.

"We have seen how easily they can cause a fire and put the safety of our crews at risk.

"Please make sure you recycle your batteries responsibly and never put them in the bin.

“I’d like to thank the collection crew, firefighters, and staff at the waste transfer station for dealing with this incident so quickly. Thankfully no one was hurt.”

Group commander Rob Olivier, head of community fire safety at Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service urged people to dispose of the batteries at an appropriate recycling centre.