Portsmouth bin lorry battery fire sparks warnings

A fire in a recycling lorry has sparked warnings about the dangers of binning batteries.

While collecting household recycling in Portsmouth on the morning of 4 January, Biffa waste crews noticed smoke pouring from the back of their truck.

Firefighters removed a burning lithium-ion battery, which had been incorrectly disposed of, before extinguishing it.

Portsmouth City Council has reminded residents not to put any batteries in their household bins.

On noticing the smoke, the crew quickly returned to the Portsmouth depot and emptied the burning pile onto the yard.

The battery had ignited when it was crushed by the compaction equipment in the lorry, and was put out with water by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.

Dave Ashmore, the council's member for environmental services, said he was thankful no one had been hurt.

"Incorrect disposal of batteries and electrical items puts the lives of our crews at risk and creates a serious risk of fire," he added.

The authority said batteries could be recycled by putting them in a clear bag and placing it on top of their black rubbish bin or bag.

For batteries that cannot easily be removed, such as laptops and phones, people are asked to leave the batteries in the equipment and place them in a carrier bag on top of their green recycling bin.

They can also be taken to Household Waste Recycling Centres.

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