Batteries spark garbage truck fire. California resident who tossed them cited

A garbage truck fire sparked Wednesday by improperly discarded lithium batteries resulted in a citation for a California resident, police said.

The fire broke out inside the truck in Campbell and also damaged a power pole, police said in a news release. Police closed roads and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. workers repaired the line.

Lithium batteries caused similar fires in the neighborhood Sept. 22 and Oct. 6, police said.

After an investigation, police cited a resident for illegal dumping, the release said.

“Lithium batteries are considered a hazardous waste and should not be thrown away in your garbage,” police said. There are two drop-off centers for batteries in Santa Clara County.

Campbell is a city of about 40,000 southwest of San Jose in the San Francisco Bay Area.