**Chilling CCTV Captures Binmen’s Lucky Escape After Lorry Explosion**
Shocking CCTV footage has surfaced showing two binmen narrowly escaping a potentially catastrophic incident after an explosion occurred inside a refuse lorry. The dramatic footage, captured in Barnet, North London, depicts one of the bin collectors stepping away from the truck just moments before debris is hurled across the street as the lorry’s compactor triggers the blast.
Authorities at Barnet Council have issued a warning to residents about the dangers of improper disposal of flammable objects following the alarming incident caught on camera. They have linked the explosion to a flammable material that was wrongly discarded, speculating that items such as gas canisters, batteries, or aerosols were not disposed of correctly, leading to the hazardous blast that took place.
The sheer force of the explosion propelled the wheelie bin and other materials into the street, highlighting the potential risks involved in mishandling flammable waste. Councillor Alan Schneiderman, responsible for Environment and Climate Change at Barnet Council, expressed his relief that none of the crew members sustained injuries during the incident. He emphasised the importance of responsibly recycling items like gas canisters and batteries to prevent similar accidents in the future.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of a previous occurrence earlier this year in the same area, where lithium batteries sparked a fire that caused damage to another refuse lorry. The council urges the public to exercise caution when disposing of potentially combustible materials and stresses the necessity of delivering such items to designated recycling points rather than mixing them with regular waste.
Unwanted electrical devices can be dropped off at any of the approximately 26,600 WEEE Recycling points across the UK, while aerosol cans and gas canisters should be taken to local recycling centres for safe disposal. The community is encouraged to remain vigilant and proactive in handling flammable waste to prevent such hazardous incidents from reoccurring.
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