A Horwich man’s bin “unexpectedly” burst into “ferocious” flames – and he credits the fire services with saving the day.

Mr Livingstone, who declined to give his first name, was surprised to find his barely-filled burgundy bin on fire and releasing “toxic” fumes on Sunday.

It had been emptied four days ago. And had just a few glass bottles, plastic bottles and cans.

He said: “My wife saw the flames outside the kitchen door.

“Our bin had caught on fire. We didn’t know why.

“There was not a lot to combust.

“But, because there was plastic in the bin, the flames were ferocious.

“The heat was intense.

“And molten plastic was going down the side of the property and flowing down the rain drains.

(Image: Public)

“It was frightening to see the extent of it.

“A neighbour across the road saw what was happening and brought a fire extinguisher over, thankfully.

“We put a wet sheet on top of fire, knowing that you can't use water with plastic.

“There was a lot of smoke, and the house smelled badly from the toxic fumes.

“It was a windy day, and we were lucky that they blew away from the property.

When the Livingstones felt they had the fire under control, they called Horwich Fire Services.

Mr Livingstone said: “We tried to phone the Horwich Fire Brigade and Greater Manchester Fire Service but found out nobody was there at the weekends.

“But 999 worked.

“I told them we didn’t think it was an emergency.

“But they insisted they needed to check that the fire had been put out correctly and there was no further danger.

“Two fire engines rushed to us within five or ten minutes.

“They reassured us, checked for heat sources and evidence of further damage.

“I was hoping they'd say what caused the fire.

“But when they looked through the bin contents, they could find no evidence.

(Image: Public)

“They were at a loss.

“And said they hadn’t seen this before unless it was an obvious arson.

“There was nothing untoward on our neighbour’s CCTV and no evidence of foul play.

“We live in a relatively quiet area.

“If there was a suspicious person, someone would have spotted them."

Mr Livingstone said he was lucky the blaze was contained.

He said: “The fire was right outside our kitchen door.

“If we would have opened it, it would have been disastrous.

“We were grateful to the fire services. They helped dampen the fire and reassured us.

"And also told us we should have phoned 999 right away.

“You don't realise how important they are until something like this happens."

But, afterward, the bin was unrecognisable.

And the Livingstones’ property sustained a lot of external damage.

Mr Livingstone said: “The plastic vent on our door melted off.

“The door itself was very badly damaged.

“Our tarmac has been scorched from the heat.

“And there is molten plastic still stuck in our rain drains.”

And Mr Livingstone wants others to be aware that their wheelie bin could also suddenly catch fire.

He said: "It was a really strange incident.

"People should be careful about what they put in their bins or how they store them.

"And ought to be aware that this could happen to them." 

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services said: “A wheelie bin fire can easily spread, causing danger to people and property.

“They release toxic fumes and smoke which pollute the environment."

To keep your wheelie bins from catching fire, GMFRS has recommended:

  • Try to keep your bin out of sight of others.
  • Only put the bin out when it is due for collection and put it away as soon as possible after collection.
  • Store your bin at least one metre away from your home, away from windows and doors and, if possible, safely secured.
  • Do not overfill your wheelie bin or leave loose rubbish around it.
  • Do not store bins under covered areas attached to the house, such as a porch.
  • Do not place hot items - such as hot coals, embers or ash, or any smoking materials - inside your bins. Wait until they are fully cooled before they are placed in the bin.
  • Fit a smoke alarm on every level of your home and a heat alarm in your kitchen.
  • To get in the habit of testing your smoke and heat alarms, test them every time you put your wheelie bin out.
  • Batteries don’t go in any of your bins at home as they can cause fires. 
  • Many items contain hidden batteries such as laptops, phones, shavers and electric toothbrushes.

If you see a wheelie bin on fire, call 999 and ask for the fire service.

Report any incidents or threats of deliberate fire setting or crime to the police. In the event of an emergency call 999.