ANOTHER bin lorry fire has sparked a warning about the specific item that is believed to have caused it.
Wychavon District Council said there was another fire in one of its bin lorries as crews collected rubbish in Droitwich on Wednesday (July 22).
It comes just weeks after an earlier Wychavon bin lorry fire, which caused smoke to billow from the vehicle, and is believed to have been caused by hot ashes, embers or a disposable BBQ being put in a recycling bin.
The council said the most recent fire was spotted quickly and extinguished by firefighters, but that burned rubbish had to be cleared up.
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Cause of the fire – and a warning
The authority said a lithium-ion battery may have been the cause.
This has prompted a new warning for residents to not put batteries or small electrical items in their green or black bins.
“After yet another fire in one of our vehicles today, this time in the Droitwich area, we would like to remind residents that they should not put any batteries or small electrical items in their black or green bins.
“Today’s fire was fortunately spotted early on and the fire brigade came out quickly to extinguish it, but we think it may have been caused by someone putting something with a lithium-ion battery in their bin.
“By putting electrical items and batteries in your bin, you are not only putting crews and other residents at risk, but the damage to the vehicle, the materials inside it and the environment are potentially huge.”
READ MORE: Fire starts in bin lorry after ‘wrong thing’ put in recycling
How to dispose of batteries and electrical items
Wychavon has also issued advice on how to safely dispose of electrical items and batteries:
