Dorset Council is warning residents not to put household batteries in bins after one caught fire at a council waste depot.
The combustion was caught on a CCTV camera at Sherborne waste station, when a vacuum cleaner battery ignited.
The council warns that, while this fire flickered out quickly, a far more severe blaze could have caught hold.
On social media, it said:
“This is CCTV footage of a battery from a vacuum cleaner that combusted at our waste transfer station in Sherborne. Luckily the fire didn’t get a chance to take hold, but it could have been much worse.”
Dispose of batteries properly
Dorset Council says that anyone looking to dispose of used batteries must not put them in a bin, as this could risk an even worse accident.
Instead they should be placed in a battery bag or taken to a household recycling centre and placed in the appropriate area.
Battery bags can be placed at the kerbside at the same time as your usual recycling collection.
To request a battery bag, visit the Dorset Council website here.
