Residents are being urged not to dispose of batteries, vapes or electrical items in household waste after a fire broke out in a recycling lorry in Glen Parva.
The incident happened while the vehicle was on its usual collection rounds, when crew members noticed smoke coming from the load. Acting quickly, workers emptied the contents into the bus lane on Lutterworth Road to prevent the fire from spreading, ensuring no one was injured.
Picture credit: Blaby District Council
Emergency services, including the fire service and police, attended the scene as crews dealt with the blaze and a large-scale clean-up operation. The incident also caused traffic disruption in the area.
The fire is believed to have been caused by batteries that had been incorrectly disposed of during an earlier collection.
Although such incidents are rare locally, councils across the UK are seeing a rise in fires linked to batteries and electrical items being thrown away with general waste or recycling. These fires pose serious risks to workers, damage equipment and can have wider environmental impacts.
Modern household items increasingly contain batteries, some of which are not immediately obvious, such as those in vapes, toys and electric toothbrushes. When these items are crushed inside refuse lorries, the batteries can become damaged, triggering a chemical reaction that leads to sparks and fire.
Lithium batteries are particularly hazardous because they can release oxygen, intensifying fires and making them harder to extinguish.
Paul Coates, Blaby District Council’s Group Manager for Neighbourhood Services, praised the crew’s swift response but warned of the potential dangers.
“Luckily the fast actions of our crew meant the fire incident was resolved safely, no one was injured and the lorry wasn’t damaged,” he said. “However, it could have been very different, so we’re sending out a timely reminder to please never bin batteries, vapes or electricals.”
He added that batteries and devices containing them should always be recycled separately from household waste. Many supermarkets, electrical retailers and waste centres offer dedicated recycling points, while vapes should be returned to the shop where they were purchased.
Residents can also place used household batteries in a clear plastic bag on top of their recycling bin for collection.
