A battery thrown into a household rubbish bin in Batford set fire to the back of a 26-tonne refuse lorry on Common Lane on 21 July. The crew saw smoke after emptying residual waste bins, tipped the burning rubbish onto the road and kept traffic and pedestrians back; a fire engine arrived within four minutes and put it out. Nobody was hurt, and Veolia cleared the mess once the fire was out.
Veolia says badly discarded batteries cause roughly one fire a day across its operations, and the ones now hiding in everyday items such as vapes and toys are the problem. There is no need to bin them: batteries and small electrical items are collected weekly at the kerbside if bagged and left beside the bin. The question for the council is whether enough Harpenden households know that.
- A battery placed in a household waste bin caused a fire in a 26-tonne refuse lorry after collections in Batford, Harpenden.
- The crew ejected the smouldering rubbish onto Common Lane and warned motorists and pedestrians to stay clear.
- A fire engine arrived within four minutes to extinguish the blaze.
- The fire happened on Tuesday 21 July and Veolia cleared the rubbish from Common Lane afterwards.
- No one was injured in the incident.
Every factual claim in this story is linked to the evidence behind it. Where the newsroom has added judgement or framing, it is listed separately. Sources accessed 6 September 2026.
Claim by claim (8 facts, 1 editorial judgements)
- A battery placed in a household waste bin caused a fire in a 26-tonne refuse lorry after collections in Batford, Harpenden. — primary, 2026-07-24“The Veolia crew spotted smoke pouring out of the rear of their 26-tonne lorry after emptying residual waste bins in Batford, Harpenden.”
- The crew ejected the smouldering rubbish onto Common Lane and warned motorists and pedestrians to stay clear. — primary, 2026-07-24“They safely ejected the smouldering rubbish onto the road at Common Lane while warning motorists and pedestrians to stay clear.”
- A fire engine arrived within four minutes to extinguish the blaze. — primary, 2026-07-24“The crew alerted Hertfordshire Fire Service with a fire engine arriving within four minutes to extinguish the blaze.”
- The fire happened on Tuesday 21 July and Veolia cleared the rubbish from Common Lane afterwards. — primary, 2026-07-24“The lorry fire occurred on Tuesday 21 July with the rubbish being cleared from Common Lane by Veolia once the fire was extinguished.”
- No one was injured in the incident. — primary, 2026-07-24“the fire that broke out in the back of the collection vehicle caused no injuries”
- Improperly discarded batteries cause approximately one fire a day across Veolia's operations. — primary, 2026-07-24“Improperly discarded batteries cause approximately one fire a day across all Veolia's operations.”
- Batteries are now found in everyday items including vapes and toys. — primary, 2026-07-24“discarded batteries which can nowadays be found in all sorts of personal and household items including vapes and toys”
- Small electricals and batteries are collected weekly at the kerbside if bagged and left beside bins. — primary, 2026-07-24“Veolia carry out weekly kerbside collections in the District of small electricals and batteries which residents should bag and leave beside their bins or containers on collection days.”
- Judgement: There is no need to bin batteries given the weekly kerbside service, and the open question is whether enough Harpenden households know it exists.
