Fire broke out in back of bin lorry following incorrect disposal of batteries

The Portsmouth City Council are urging people to dispose of batteries in the correct way after the crew of a bin lorry had to deal with a blaze this morning which put lives at risk.

The council uploaded a post to Facebook outlining the situation and how people can ensure that they are disposing of batteries in the right way.

The Facebook post said: “Batteries had been disposed of in a rubbish bin, which caused a fire in the back of the bin lorry. Quick thinking by the crew meant they were able to extinguish the fire safely before it took hold.

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"The wrongful disposal of these batteries put the lives of our critical crew at risk and could have damaged a bin lorry that costs £200,000.

"Do not place any batteries in the domestic bins. The compaction equipment can damage them and cause fires within the vehicle.

"Batteries from electrical equipment such as remote controls, electric toys, and portable radios can be recycled by putting them in a clear bag and placing it on top of your black rubbish bin or bag. Or you can recycle them at local shops and supermarkets.”

The post also said that if you are getting rid of electrical equipment that contains a battery, recycle it through the small electrical items collection and place it in a bag and put it on top of your green recycling bin.

For more information about how to dispose of batteries properly, click here.