VIDEO: Bin fires are wheelie dangerous

12:12pm Thursday 22nd May 2008

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ARSONISTS who target wheelie bins are costing the tax-payer thousands every year as well as putting lives at risk, firefighters have warned.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and Blackburn with Darwen Council are urging residents to help tackle the recurring problem.

Over the last year there have been around 150 wheelie bin fires in the Blackburn area, at a cost of £200 for a fire engine to attend each incident.

Crew manager Michael Angland from Blackburn Fire Station in Byrom Street said: "There are hotspots in the area, including Shadsworth, Wensley Fold and Higher Croft, but there are wheelie bin fires all over.

"It's a minority starting the fires, but they're costing the rest of the community and putting people's lives at risk.

"Attending such incidents re-directs resources away from our efforts to reduce fires and fire-related injuries, and can mean it takes us longer to attend more serious incidents. A fire engine cannot be in two places at once."

Firefighters at Blackburn carried out a demonstration yesterday to show how quickly the flames take hold and the toxic smoke is created when a bin is set alight.

Crew manager Angland said: "We just had cardboard and paper in the bin we used, but most are full of household waste including dirty nappies, plastic packaging and aerosols, which can explode.

"The toxic fumes are a real hazard to the public, firefighters and environment."

Janet Foster, environmental town ranger, said: "A repl-acement bin costs £30, there is the manpower to clean up and there is damage caused by scraping the melted plastic off."