Worker jabbed with needle during clean-up after bin lorry fire

A council worker has been jabbed with a needle while cleaning up rubbish following another bin lorry fire in Glasgow.

The fire happened in Wilton Court at about 11:30 and forced the refuse vehicle to dump its rubbish on the street. Discarded vapes were found among the waste.

GMB union convener Chris Mitchell said the worker was jabbed with the needle during the clean-up and was taken to hospital for a Hepatitis B injection as a precaution.

It is understood to be the ninth fire in a Glasgow bin lorry this year, with the council previously urging the public to recycle batteries and vapes properly.

The fire happened four hours into the refuse workers' shift.

Mitchell said: "The crew acted with professionalism and made sure the load was safely ejected on the street before causing further damage.

"The crew and the general public were not harmed."

He said he was awaiting details as to how the fire started but said it could have been "another lithium battery fire".

"We would like to thank the cleansing teams for cleaning the area up," he said.

"Unfortunately, during the cleaning process another accident occurred where a council worker was jagged by a hypodermic needle.

"I would encourage the wider public when disposing of lithium batteries or sharp items to dispose of them properly.

"I will make this clear: we are one fire away from serious harm or damage."

Two weeks ago a bin lorry caught fire in Glasgow's Jamaica Street, prompting the council to issue a warning over the dangers of throwing batteries in normal rubbish.

There was a similar fire involving a bin lorry in Edinburgh last month.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "Our staff raised the alarm of a fire within their vehicle this morning and followed the correct procedure by unloading the waste onto the street.

"A cause for the fire has still to be confirmed, but discarded vapes were found within the waste that was off-loaded.

"If a discarded vape is confirmed as the cause of the fire, this incident will again highlight the danger linked to disposing of batteries and vapes in general waste."

He said the quick response of the crew ensured they were unharmed and the risk of damage to the vehicle was minimised.

"But it is vital that we all take care to recycle batteries and vapes properly," he said.

"Batteries and vapes can be safely recycled at a wide range of shops or at any of our household waste recycling centres."

A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it was alerted to the fire in a bin lorry on Wilton Court at 11:28 and sent two appliances to the scene.

He said one casualty was taken to hospital and crews left the scene at 13:04 after ensuring the area had been made safe.