AN EXPLOSION heard from the back of a bin lorry has prompted fresh safety warnings over throwing away electrical items.

Refuse collectors in Chipping Norton heard the bang before a fire took hold in the back of their lorry, West Oxfordshire District Council said.

The crew managed to put the fire out after they heard an explosion in the back of their lorry and saw flames coming out, the authority said. The council did not say when the incident occurred.

Thermal imaging equipment allowed fire crews to establish the blaze had been caused during the compacting process, when a laptop containing four large lithium batteries was crushed.

District council cabinet member for the environment David Harvey said: “Thankfully, the crew’s swift action avoided what could have been a potentially serious incident.

“However, it is a stark reminder of the importance of disposing of electrical goods safely.

“Smaller unusable electrical items can be recycled at most of our recycling sites and larger electrical items taken to one of the county’s waste and recycling centres such as Dix Pit in Stanton Harcourt.

“The ‘crossed out wheelie bin’ symbol found on many electrical items means that they should not be put into normal household rubbish bins.”