Bin lorry goes up in flames in Kettering with the cause of the fire believed to be a battery

These pictures taken by Laurence Boyle show the bin lorry on fire in Kettering earlier today (Thursday).

A spokesman for the fire service said: “Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service was called just before 11am to reports of a bin lorry involved in a fire at Orion Way in Kettering on June 12.

"Crews from Kettering and Wellingborough used hose reel jets and breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire.

"The lorry - believed to be carrying a non-hazardous load – has now been taken back to the depot.

"It’s believed the most likely cause of the fire was started by a battery.”

North Northants Council (NNC) is responsible for collecting bins in the north of the county.

Today’s incident has prompted a reminder from the authority about the ‘serious dangers’ posed by putting batteries in your bin.

A spokesman for NNC said: “While it might seem harmless to throw a battery in your general waste bin, this recent case highlights the serious dangers.

"During collection, batteries can be squashed, punctured or shredded, causing them to overheat and potentially ignite.

"This can lead to fires or explosions in bin lorries or at waste facilities, putting people at risk and damaging vehicles or equipment, resulting in costly repairs for the council.

"Batteries can be recycled, easily and safely for free – at places such as supermarkets and DIY stores which all have battery bins.

"All North Northamptonshire Household Waste Recycling Centres also have battery bins, where you can take your old batteries for recycling.

"North Northants HWRCs also accept all types of vapes - these can be disposed in the household battery containers if they are a solid unit.

"If they have a removable battery, this can go in the battery bin and the Vape body can be put in the bin for electrical items.

"Toys can be taken to HWRCs or placed in general refuse bins - once the batteries have been removed.

"Recycle your electricals has a postcode checker where residents can find their nearest battery recycling point.”