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Lithium battery believed to be behind Benalla recycling truck fire

By Contributed

Oct 17, 2024

A lithium battery is believed to have been the source of a fire ignited in a recycling truck in Benalla on Wednesday, October 16. Photo by Contributed

The quick-thinking actions of a Benalla truck driver minimised the effects of a fire on Wednesday, October 16.

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After realising a load of recycling had gone up in flames, the driver quickly dumped it, moving the truck to a safe distance, and reported it to CFA.

Benalla Rural City Council chief executive Dom Testoni said the truck was forced to make an emergency stop to deal with the incident.

“The quick actions of the driver, who made the decision to dump the load, and the Benalla Fire Brigade, made sure no-one was injured, and no property was damaged,” he said.

CFA firefighters work to extinguish a fire that started on a Benalla recycling truck on Wednesday, October 16. Photo by Contributed

“While the exact cause of the fire is unknown, the incorrect disposal of a commonly used lithium battery is the likely cause.

“While there were no injuries, residents are urged to be careful about what they put in their kerbside waste and recycling bins.

“E-cigarettes or vapes are one such product that contain a battery and must be disposed of correctly.

“This is a timely reminder of the dangers of disposing of batteries in our waste and recycling bins.

“E-waste and batteries are hazardous and can cause a lot of damage if not handled correctly and should be disposed of at a designated e-waste collection point, such as the Benalla Resource Recovery Centre or council’s Customer Service Centre.”