Battery sparks fire inside bin lorry in built-up residential area in Plymouth

People are being urged not to put batteries in with other rubbish after they caused "yet another" bin lorry fire.

Plymouth City Council said the vehicle had been in a built-up area at the time of the fire.

"Please, please, please do not put batteries of any kind in your bins," a spokesperson said.

"There's been yet another fire in one of our refuse vehicles this morning, caused by the crushing of a cluster of batteries.

"It could have been much worse. The lorry was in a built-up area at the time and our crew were able to escape without injury. But this was also a recycling load, with the contents far more flammable than household waste."

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue attended the scene and were able to successfully put out the fire.

The council spokesperson explained that batteries of all kinds are potentially flammable and should not be put in any bin.

They said: "Batteries of all kinds, it doesn’t matter the shape or the size, from AAs to car batteries, should not be put in any bin, but instead taken to Chelson Meadow HWRC. Most supermarkets also have bins you can dispose of them in.

"The compaction mechanism in the back of the trucks is so powerful it easily crushes a battery, leaving its contents to leak out on to other potentially flammable waste."

The spokesperson added: "So please, when you're changing the batteries, think about the safety of our crews; think about the potential consequences of a 26 tonne truck catching fire in a residential area, and dispose of them responsibly."