Fire prompts battery disposal plea
OFFICIALS in Cornwall have urged people to properly dispose of batteries, after a blaze broke out in a bin lorry near Penzance.
Flames and smoke burst from the back of a waste disposal vehicle while crews were collecting rubbish in Longrock last Friday, April 19.
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service was quickly called to extinguish the blaze, which is believed to have been caused by lithiumion batteries which had been put in a bin. No one was hurt in the fire, Cornwall Council said, but the fire has sparked an urgent reminder from officials about proper battery disposal.
When put into general waste, batteries can be crushed or punctured by a refuse lorry. This releases flammable electrolytes into the air which can trigger explosions and result in rapidly spreading fires, fuelled by other rubbish in the lorry.
The council has asked residents to remember to dispose of batteries properly, typically by dropping them off at a battery recycling point. Most supermarkets have one, but they can also be taken to the battery box at a household waste and recycling centre.
Cllr Carol Mould, portfolio holder for neighbourhoods at Cornwall Council, said: “I’d like to thank the collection crew and firefighters who dealt with this incident so quickly. Thankfully the fire did not spread and no one was hurt. We often see batteries being put with general rubbish and this can be dangerous for our waste collection crews. Please make sure you recycle your batteries responsibly and never put them in the bin.”