An electric bin lorry burst into flames on Monday morning, forcing multiple London roads to close

Specialist crews were deployed to fight the fire.

The rise in the number of incidents involving vehicles powered by lithium batteries has prompted calls from campaigners for a crackdown on rules surrounding the production and safety of such batteries.

The Telegraph reports: Specialist crews were deployed to the fire after the £580,000 electric lorry caught fire.

The lithium battery-powered trucks were recently launched by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, as part of a Westminster City council initiative to reduce carbon emissions.

Oxford Street and Duke Street were closed following the incident as firefighting operations and investigations continued.

Photographs showed smoke rising from the stationary lorry, with rubbish and debris surrounding the vehicle as firefighters tackled the flames.

London Fire Brigade sent three teams from Paddington and a specialist fire rescue unit to the incident to deal with the risks posed by the electric vehicle such as potential reignition and toxic fumes.

Emergency responders used specialised tools, including disc cutters and saws, to create access points on the vehicle’s side, allowing them to tackle flames within. All occupants of the truck escaped without injury.

Westminster City council has said it will be conducting a full investigation into the cause of the fire, focusing on possible electrical faults. 

The council had introduced 45 battery-powered bin lorries last July. Initially rolled out as a part of a government-sponsored trial, the £20 million fleet is based at a specially designed depot in Bermondsey.