Eco & Environment, Wimborne | Posted on December 5th, 2025 | return to news

Rubbish dumped on Wimborne high street due to vehicle fire

Wimborne Minster High Street was covered in rubbish to prevent a fire breaking out in a council bin lorry.

Talk about a load of rubbish.

On Monday 1 December, a bin lorry was forced to dump its contents on the High Street in Wimborne Minster after binmen noticed smoke coming from the back of the waste vehicle.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue service were quick on the scene, closing the road and extinguishing the fire. The street was then fully cleaned and swept.

Following the fire, Dorset Council Waste Services released a statement reminding residents of the danger caused by disposing of old batteries in their regular waste bin.

It said: “The cause of the fire is undetermined, but it’s quite likely to have been started by a crushed battery. Please remember batteries of any kind should never be placed in any bins — always use a battery bag for kerbside collection, or take your batteries to a household recycling centre or battery drop-off point.”

Residents are advised to put their old batteries in a clear plastic bag or red battery bag and placing them next to or on top of their recycling bin ready for collection. Batteries can also be recycled at most supermarkets.

Batteries should be recycled not only to prevent fires, but also to protect the environment, as some batteries contain toxic materials.