Bedford Borough Council has reminded residents not to dispose of batteries in their grey bins after fire crews were called to extinguish a fire in a council refuse vehicle.
The council refuse team was on its round near Upper Dean yesterday morning (Monday) when a crew member suspected that a fire had broken out within the vehicle.
The contents of the lorry were removed and fire crews from Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service arrived to deal with the incident.
In a statement on its Facebook page, the council said: “Initial investigations suggest that this fire may have been caused by a battery and we want to take this opportunity to remind everyone about the potential dangers of putting batteries in your bins, please don’t do it.”
To safely dispose of batteries, simply place them in a clear plastic bag (eg: freezer bag) on top of the orange or black bin on the regular collection day.
Or they can be taken to the Tidy Tip on Barkers Lane. More details about the safe disposal of batteries can be found on the Bedford Borough Council website here.
“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the quick-thinking team who acted swiftly to raise the alarm and evacuate the vehicle before the fire could escalate,” said a council spokesperson.
“We also extend our thanks to the Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, whose prompt response helped extinguish the fire before it could cause further damage.”
All waste has now been collected, the road is open again, and we were able to complete the collections for the rest of the planned route today, however, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of being mindful about what should and shouldn’t be put in our bins.
