Trash dumped on a street in Anna, Texas, on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, after the driver said he saw sparks in the load.
The driver of a trash truck in Anna had to dump an entire load of garbage onto a residential street to "prevent a larger disaster" after the load caught fire Thursday.
According to city officials, at about 11:45 a.m., a Cards Recycling and Disposal driver noticed sparks and dumped the load on the pavement to prevent the fire from growing inside the truck.
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WATCH HERENo injuries or damage were reported.
The city said the fire was caused by lithium batteries improperly discarded in household trash and served as a reminder "of the dangers posed by improper battery disposal."
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In their statement, city officials said lithium-ion and rechargeable batteries can ignite under pressure, causing dangerous fires in collection trucks, transfer stations, and landfills and putting workers at risk.
Instead of putting them in the trash or recycling bins, batteries should be disposed of at hazardous household waste events or at designated battery recycling drop-off locations.
