A new video shows the shocking moment a lithium battery caught fire at a Waste Transfer Station in North Tyneside.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service were called when the fire broke out on the site, which was evacuated and remained closed for part of the morning.
Although investigations are ongoing, the fire is believed to have been caused by a lithium battery.
Lithium batteries are found in many everyday items, including vapes and e-cigarettes, power tools, mobile phones, toys and games and much more. When they’re damaged, crushed or punctured, the batteries can ignite.
Councillor Willie Samuel, Cabinet Member for Environmental Sustainability, said the incident was a ‘stark reminder’ that disposing of batteries can have serious consequences.
“We are asking residents to help us reduce the risk by making sure batteries and battery-powered items are disposed of correctly,” Samuel said.
“A few moments spent recycling them safely could prevent a major fire.”
Paul Russell, Area Manager Community Safety, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue, said incidents like his show how important it is for people to carefully dispose of lithium batteries.
Fires caused by a binned battery or vape have been publicly reported in the UK every nine days this year, a new tracker shows.
The UK Battery Fire Tracker, which maps every reported incident in the UK, shows an 88% increase in bin lorry, recycling centre and waste site fires between 2023 and 2025.
The data found that 2026 is set to be the worst year yet, with 20 incidents recorded by early July compared to 32 in the whole of 2025.
52% of the incidents ignited in bin lorries, and vapes are the ‘single most identifiable cause’ as they are linked to 23% of incidents even 12 months after the disposable vape ban.
As part of a recent pilot programme, fifteen designers developed concepts to tackle vape fires, improve battery recovery and reduce product waste.
The Design Skills for Embedding Circularity programme, which is funded by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), paired designers with waste and resource specialists, before challenging them to apply their learning to problems set by Biffa and Decathlon.
A six-week design sprint, which ended in mid-July, produced proposals ranging from products designed for easier recycling to a digital platform connecting designers with waste management professionals.
