Tons of rubbish dumped on road after unused fireworks ignite in back of bin lorry

Binmen noticed smoke coming from the vehicle while driving through Lichfield Road, Walsall, yesterday on the way to a sorting facility.

Walsall Council said unused fireworks were disposed into a recycling bin, before being collected by the recycling truck, and they ignited on the journey.

No-one was injured in the blaze but the vehicle sustained smoke damage and the entire recycling load was destroyed.

The incident happened at just before 12.50pm and partially blocked off the road as a recovery operation got underway.

It took recovery crews two hours to clean up the mess using three grab wagons and street sweepers.

WATCH: Video shows aftermath of blaze

The Biffa lorry had been collecting waste from households in Staffordshire before heading to a materials recovery facility via Walsall.

Ten firefighters on two fire engines from Aldridge and Bloxwich fire stations were sent to the scene just before 12.50pm.

A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: "We responded to a fire involving the contents of a recycling lorry.

"The first fire crew reached the scene on Lichfield Road, Shelfield, in under four minutes.

"The fire involved around a tonne of recycling on fire in the back of the vehicle.

"Our crews had to damp down a further nine tonnes which were emptied on to the road. The police took care of traffic management during the incident."

Walsall Council portfolio holder for green service, councillor Oliver Butler, said this could have been a "a very serious incident".

Ha added: "I am grateful that no one was harmed.

"It is imperative, if you are purchasing fireworks, that they are disposed of appropriately after use and with thought for the safety of others.

"Used, discharged fireworks should be put in the grey bin but only after being thoroughly doused with water."

He continued: "I am really proud of both Tarmac and our own operatives who responded swiftly to support our South Staffordshire colleagues yesterday at a peak time, on one of our busiest arterial roads.

"Walsall Council along with Tarmac crews responded quickly deploying three Hiab grab wagons and worked hard to clear the highway of 16 tonnes of uncompressed wet recycling waste, collecting five loads in total whilst co-ordinating traffic management.

"The road was reopened in just two hours, shortly after 5pm, after we had deployed one of our sweepers to clear the final small bits of residue, ensuring delays to traffic were minimised and allowing road users—many of whom are also essential workers during this period of national lockdown—to get to where they needed to be safely.

He added: "Contrary to rumour this incident was not a brazen fly tip on an epic scale but was the correct decision to jettison the recycling load in order to save the very expensive bin lorry, which could potentially have also damaged the road surface had the fire further developed inside the rear of the lorry.

"I would also like to thank West Midlands Fire Service for their quick initial response to the fire.”

Councillor Len Bates, cabinet member for community services at South Staffordshire Council, added: "The unused fireworks were disposed of in a blue recycling bin and disaster was only averted thanks to the quick thinking of the driver and crew.

"I would like to say a massive thank you to them as well as the emergency services and Walsall Council’s highways and cleansing teams for clearing up afterwards.

"This thoughtless action by a resident caused a major health and safety threat to the crew on board the vehicle, and other road users.

"I’d like to remind residents that fireworks should be disposed of safely. Unused fireworks should never be placed in your wheelie bins.

"Used fireworks, properly doused and cool, should be disposed of in your non-recyclable household waste wheelie bin."