Yahoo News Cheshunt: Gas canisters found in the back of fire-affected dustcart
Several gas canisters were in the back of a bin lorry which caught fire, a council has said. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service attended the minor incident in Cheshunt at around 10.42am on Wednesday, May 1.
Broxbourne Borough Council confirmed waste in one of its dustcarts had caught fire, and when staff tipped the load, they found evidence that some items had been put into household bins incorrectly. A gas canister may have caused the fire.
A borough council spokesperson said: "The incident was reported on Wednesday, May 1 following a scheduled waste collection in the Rosedale area. Waste in the back of a freighter caught fire and the vehicle had to be diverted to the Marks and Spencer car park at Brookfield where the load was tipped.
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"Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service attended and were able to dampen the hotspots. Some services were disrupted to enable the speedy clearance and subsequent clean-up.
"This incident stresses the importance of appropriate waste disposal. Several gas canisters, for example, were found in the load and these should not have been placed in the waste bins, as they can explode if crushed."
A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called at 10:42 this morning to a report of a fire in the back of a bin lorry at the Brookfield Centre, Cheshunt. One fire engine from Cheshunt Fire Station was sent to the scene, where around five tonnes of waste in the back of a bin lorry was smouldering. The waste was unloaded into the car park, where firefighters were able to damp down the hotspots."
