A fire broke out in a garbage truck in Morrisville’s Preston Meadow View neighborhood on Monday during bulk item pickup. The truck’s driver noticed smoldering in the back compactor and pulled over to dump the contents, preventing a larger fire.

Although the exact cause of the fire is still unknown, officials suspect a lithium-ion battery was the culprit. Morrisville’s public works director, Matt Wetherell, emphasized the importance of properly disposing of hazardous waste, including lithium-ion batteries, to prevent such incidents.

Proper Disposal of Hazardous Waste

Morrisville holds two Green Day events annually, where residents can bring hazardous materials like lithium-ion batteries for free recycling. Additionally, Wake County residents can take items to specific collection sites. Wetherell stressed that proper disposal of hazardous waste is crucial for keeping chemicals out of landfills and preventing fires like this from occurring.

Original reporting: WRAL Raleigh — read the source article.