A garbage truck driver is being lauded for his swift actions on Friday afternoon, when a discarded vape ignited a fire in the back of his vehicle. The driver diverted his truck to an empty parking lot and dumped the burning load onto the pavement, averting a potentially larger disaster.
The incident occurred in Oxenford, a northern suburb on the Gold Coast, where the recycling truck was seen pulling into a carpark. Footage captured by a bystander showed the driver emptying the truck's contents onto the bitumen.
The video, which quickly circulated online, earned widespread praise from the public, with many commenters suggesting the driver deserves recognition and a raise.
"Driver is smart. Found a open and easy-to-access area that can be cleaned relatively easily and fast," one social media user commented. Another wrote, "Driver of the year right there!"
Queensland Fire Department officials are investigating the exact cause of the blaze. However, initial reports indicate that a vape, which contains a lithium battery, was the source of the combustion. These batteries can ignite when crushed or damaged, as might happen in the process of garbage collection.
Gold Coast councillor Naomi Fowler shared the video on Saturday, using the incident as an opportunity to remind residents about proper waste disposal. "Thankfully, nobody was injured and no recycling collections were missed," Cr Fowler stated. "A good reminder for us all to recycle right."
The truck itself featured a prominent advertisement urging residents to "know what goes in your recycling bin," part of a broader Gold Coast council campaign to improve waste sorting. The campaign specifically warns about the fire hazards posed by batteries in household bins.
Australians are advised to dispose of batteries at designated drop-off points available at major retailers, including Woolworths, Bunnings, Coles, and Aldi.
Despite these public awareness efforts, some members of the public expressed skepticism about their effectiveness. "As a garbo myself this is a constant issue that will never go away," one commenter noted. "People will never learn and will never pay attention to the million-dollar ads and word of mouth, they think it's easier to chuck it in the bin then take them to a place that disposes vapes and batteries."