Firefighters say that a garbage truck that caught fire, forcing the driver to dump a burning load onto Sparks Road on the Central Coast, was likely engulfed after lithium-ion batteries thrown into household rubbish exploded.
Hamlyn Terrace firefighters were called to the scene on Sparks Road at about 2pm on Wednesday, September 25, where they found the truck alight and quickly attacked the fire as it spread into nearby grass, backing into houses.
The garbage was extinguished with compressed air foam before council workers brought in equipment to remove it. Firefighters inspected the burned material and found Lithium-Ion battery-powered items, including a robot vacuum cleaner, a mobile phone and children's toys, leading them to conclude the batteries likely went into thermal runaway when compacted and either sparked or at least significantly intensified the blaze.
Thermal runaway can occur when Lithium-Ion batteries are compromised or damaged. When the cells overheat, they can start a chain reaction, releasing toxic gases before exploding in flames.
Residents have been urged not to discard lithium-ion batteries in the trash but to contact a local recycling centre for disposal advice.
