The Troy Fire Department is asking people to properly dispose of lithium batteries following a sanitation truck fire on Wednesday.

Officials say the fire happened in the back of the truck, and the garbage in it had to be dumped onto the ground so firefighters could extinguish the flames. 

The fire was likely due to the improper disposal of lithium batteries, according to officials.

Lithium batteries can be found in phones, laptops, power tools and toys. The fire department says they should never be thrown in household trash or recycling bins as they can spark fires if crushed or damaged during garbage collection. 

Troy officials are urging people to contact their local waste management provider for information on how to dispose of batteries safely.

Envergia, a company focused on lithium-ion and electric vehicle battery recycling, announced plans in January to build a facility at the Detroit Gateway Industrial Center. It's unknown when the facility will open.