“All this could have been avoided by batteries being correctly disposed of at a recycling point” - HDC.

Quick-thinking refuse workers in Huntingdon extinguished a fire that started in the back of one of their lorries.

The blaze was started by batteries, which has been put in household rubbish, igniting, prompting a warning from Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC).

A spokesman for HDC said: Thankfully the crew reacted incredibly quickly and managed to extinguish the fire before any serious damage could be done. The small fire in the back of the refuse vehicle was due to the incorrect disposal of batteries. Due to quick action from the crew, the load was tipped onto a green and extinguished without the fire service needing to be called.

“All this could have been avoided by batteries being correctly disposed of at a recycling point. Please do not place them in your kerbside collection. Many shops now have to provide a battery recycling bank within their store.

British Metals Recycling Association said, which is based in Huntingdon, said: “Many householders are not aware of the risk posed by putting lithium ion batteries and indeed waste electrical and electronic equipment that contains these batteries, in the general waste and that they can cause fires. In this case it was in the refuse lorry but in other cases, lithium ion batteries have caused more serious fires in waste centres.

“It is vital, therefore, that householders hold on to their WEEE and any lithium ion batteries until they can dispose of them appropriately, either at a metal recycling site or an household waste and recycling centre.”

www.recyclenow.com/what-to-do-with/batteries-1.