Barnet refuse workers narrowly escape explosion

Credit: Barnet Council

A crew of refuse workers narrowly escaped an explosion whilst loading a bin lorry.

The terrifying incident was caught on camera and shows two members of crew loading and unloading rubbish bins onto the truck.

The sudden explosion happened after one of the staff unloaded a bin and walked away.

Barnet council said the blast was caused by combustible items, like gas cannisters, batteries or aerosols, wrongly being thrown into residential bins.

It has urged residents to properly recycle their waste.


Watch the shocking moment a crew of Barnet refuse workers narrowly escape an explosion


In a statement, Cllr Alan Schneiderman, Barnet Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change said:

“The video is incredibly shocking, and we’re relieved that the crew members escaped unharmed.

“I hope this helps people to understand how important it is to properly recycle items such as gas canisters and bottles, batteries and aerosols, as on another day we might not have been so lucky.”


Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…