Waiheke had its first rubbish truck fire caused by the incorrect disposal of batteries on Tuesday. A small fire broke out in the hopper of the rubbish truck and was quickly put out by the crew using onboard safety equipment. There were no reported injuries.
Auckland Council waste solutions safety specialist Lyndon Collie says a discarded battery, believed to be from a laptop, exploded into flame when it was crushed during the waste collection process. Thanks to the quick actions of the crew the truck returned to the depot with only minor scorching, she says. While most battery-related truck fires happen in trucks collecting recycling, this was unusual since it happened while collecting general waste.
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