Firefighter shows charred remains of lithium batteries for a vacuum cleaner that exploded Thursday and caused a fire in a load of trash hauled by a garbage truck. / Photo, Westport Fire Department
WESTPORT — Fire erupted in a garbage truck Thursday afternoon, triggered when lithium batteries exploded in its load of trash, according to the fire report.
The incident took place just before 2 p.m. Thursday when firefighters were dispatched to Fairview Drive where fire in a garbage truck was reported.
Before fire units arrived on the scene, the truck driver unloaded the burning garbage and doused the flames with a fire extinguisher, according to the report.
Firefighters investigating the fire determined it ignited when two lithium batteries for a battery-operated vacuum cleaner exploded in the load of trash. That prompted the driver to act after he heard the…