PEOPLE are being urged not to dispose of batteries in household waste after a bin wagon caught fire.

The waste collection vehicle was travelling along Victoria Avenue in Felling, Gateshead, on Wednesday when the crew spotted smoke coming from the back.

A crew member called the fire brigade while the driver stopped and tipped his load into the road to prevent the fire from destroying the vehicle.

The cause of the fire is not known but it is suspected to have been caused by sparks emitting from a lithium or similar battery as it came into contact with the metal floor of the vehicle.

Colin Huntington, of Gateshead Council, said sparks can quickly set fire to the load, adding: “It is important that people don’t put batteries into either their household waste or recycling bin.”