Quick thinking crew helps prevent bin lorry fire in Irthlingborough

A quick thinking waste crew helped prevent a potential lorry fire which is believed to have been caused by a battery.

Pictures released by North Northants Council on social media show the aftermath of yesterday’s incident in Irthlingborough.

A spokesman for the authority said: “Yesterday, quick thinking by our waste crews averted a potential bin lorry fire in Irthlingborough.

"The load was tipped onto a grassed area where Northants Fire extinguished the fire, which was caused by a battery.

"This was the second incident of its kind in two weeks.

"We want to take this opportunity to remind residents that batteries and small electrical items containing batteries should never be placed in either your refuse or recycling bin, as they can ignite very easily in a waste collection vehicle.”

Northants Fire has also tweeted about the incident, urging people to dispose of batteries in the ‘correct manner.’