Quick Thinking Fire Crew and Rubbush Truck Driver Avoid Disaster From Lithium Battery Fire
December 23, 2022
PHOTO: WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL/SUPPLIED to Stuff
A driver’s quick thinking saved the day when a crushed battery almost set fire to the rubbish truck he was driving.
Wellington City Council reported an Envirowaste rubbish truck almost caught fire on Thursday, after a battery was put in a rubbish bag for disposal.
Council waste operations manager Stefan Bowry said the truck’s driver noticed smoke coming from the back of the vehicle while driving through Kilbirnie at around 10am.
He immediately contacted Fire and Emergency NZ, which sent crews from the nearby Kilbirnie station to help.
The firefighters asked the driver to drop the truck’s load of compacted rubbish bags on to the smoking bag to help douse the smoke.
It was later discovered the source of the smoke came from a lithium battery inside an empty paint tin.