Firefighters have warned householders of the dangers of discarding batteries after they tackled a bin lorry blaze.

Yelverton Fire Station sent a team on Friday, January 9, to a bin lorry on a doorstep collection round which had smoke issuing from the loading bay.

They discovered the smoke was coming from an electrical device which had been disposed of by a householder.

A fire station spokesman said: “Not all, but some electrical devices have batteries in them. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are common in many devices now, but can catch fire and need disposing of properly.

“Householders are advised to please stop to check any items they are disposing of for batteries inside then remove them and please take to the recycling centre. at Crowndale or the nearest centre.”

Lithium-ion batteries are the rechargeable batteries in electrical items such as mobile phones, laptops, e-scooters, e-bikes and e-cigarettes. The device you’re reading on right now is probably powered by a lithium-ion battery.

These batteries are safe during normal use, but present a fire risk when overcharged, short-circuited, submerged in water or damaged.

They are a main cause of waste fires and can be extremely dangerous when thrown away with general rubbish, or mixed with recyclable materials like card, metal and plastic. Lithium-ion batteries are extremely sensitive to high temperatures and inherently flammable. These fires quickly spread and are hard to put out, causing a lot of damage.

Causes of battery fires include rapid overheating or overcharging for too long, damaged batteries releasing flammable electrolytes and the exposure to high temperatures

Firefighters advise charging devices during the day (instead of overnight when people are asleep) and unplug after charging (use manufacturer-approved chargers).

Also, avoid charging on soft, flammable surfaces and do not use a damaged battery. Always seek professional guidance when converting a bike or scooter into an e-bike or e-scooter.

More help and advice can be found at these links: https://www.dsfire.gov.uk/safety/home/battery-fireshttps://www.devon.gov.uk/news/dont-let-your-old-batteries-go-up-in-smoke/?amp=1