Worthing bin fire sparks emergency response - and fresh warning from fire service

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to Worthing Central, near the Splashpoint Leisure Centre, shortly before 6pm.

One crew from Worthing was sent by Joint Fire Control to deal with a ‘small fire’.

A spokesperson added: “Upon arrival firefighters found one bin on fire near the barbecue area and used buckets of water to put it out.

"Crews left the scene at 6.22pm."

The cause of the fire is unknown, the fire service said.

However, due to the fact the incident was reported in a BBQ area, the fire service reminded residents to be responsible when using disposable barbecues, ‘to reduce the number of bin fires we attend’.

Each summer, the fire service attends numerous fires which were started by disposable barbecues being thrown away before they had ‘fully cooled down’.

To reduce the number of disposable barbecue related bin fires, the fire service has teamed up with West Sussex Recycles to urge people to consider ‘Has it BIN long enough?’.

The services are encouraging members of the public to consider these three steps when planning a barbecue:

- Sizzle: Don’t underestimate the heat of your barbecue as temperatures soar when cooking.- Sit: Leave your barbecue to cool down for several hours.- Soak: Cover your barbecue with plenty of water and remember: if it sizzles - it’s still too hot to be binned.

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Deborah Urquhart, cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: "As well as the inconvenience and financial implications we see as a result of bin fires, the entire contents of the bin then has to go to waste as it cannot be safely recycled.

"It is really important, now more than ever, that we reduce our waste, and recycle where possible, but given the volume of disposable barbecue-related bin fires we see each year, this is a huge environmental concern and is something we should all strive to improve."

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service’s head of prevention, Nicki Peddle, said it is vital that people ‘think ahead’ when having a disposable barbecue.

He said: “During the summer we want everyone to enjoy the warmer days and barbecues can be a great way to make the most of the sunshine.

"However, it’s vital that people think ahead when having a disposable barbecue and make sure they’re incorporating the length of time a barbecue takes to cool down within their plans.

“It’s a common misconception that just putting water on a disposable barbecue is enough to cool it right down, and it’s an issue we see each year.

"Therefore, we’re urging people to follow our three steps – which include leaving the barbecue to cool down for several hours, as well as dousing it in water – to allow for a safe summer and to keep our firefighters available to respond to life-saving emergencies.”

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