Add Category
Released footage has captured a fire caused by a lithium battery in the back of a garbage truck, the fourth sparked from improperly disposed waste this month in the same Sydney council area.
The garbage truck drove with a burning load for several minutes through Sydney's south-west after picking up the battery, which had been tossed in a recycling bin at an apartment block in Lakemba on October 2.
A camera inside the truck's repository showed the fire growing in intensity as the truck is driven for seven minutes along residential streets at speeds up to 60 kilometres.
In the moments before the fire took hold, the garbage truck can be seen picking up bins along a residential street. (Supplied: Canterbury-Bankstown Council)
Smoke is seen billowing from the truck throughout the trip, before it arrives at a dead end, where the engulfed load was dumped.
A Fire and Rescue NSW spokesperson confirmed a crew was dispatched to Parry Park on Punchbowl Road to extinguish the fire, where a rechargeable battery had experienced thermal runaway.
Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek said the driver was lucky to escape injury.
"Throwing batteries and other harmful chemicals in the bin will only fuel the next emergency, putting our community and drivers at risk," he said.
"I don't want to see anyone hurt."
The truck fire is one of four this month in the Canterbury-Bankstown Council area. (Supplied: Canterbury-Bankstown Council)
The council said another driver narrowly escaped in a separate incident after a gas cylinder was thrown in a red bin, which is designed for household waste.
It was only discovered when the driver heard an explosion and was able to dump the load of garbage as it smouldered.
In another instance, a fire started after a garbage truck emptied a bin that had a metal container full of flammable liquid.
The driver quickly dumped the load.
Canterbury-Bankstown Council said it was dropping off pamphlets to the streets where it believes the dangerous items came from in the hope the information will help the community safely dispose of chemicals and electrical appliances.