Escanaba city officials urge proper waste disposal following Tuesday morning garbage truck fire
ESCANABA, Mich. (WLUC) — Emergency crews responded Tuesday morning to a garbage truck fire on 8th Avenue North between 19th and 20th Avenues in Escanaba.
Multiple fire trucks arrived, and crews worked to assess the scene and put out any remaining flames. Officials say nearby businesses and homes were not affected. No injuries were reported, and the extent of damage to the truck is unknown.
Escanaba Public Safety Director Darren Smith shared that the blaze was limited to the truck.
“Escanaba Public Safety got called for a fire that happened inside of one of our public works garbage trucks. Fire was contained; we put a ladder truck- sprayed from the top. The hydraulics wouldn’t allow the operator to dump the contents on the ground,” Smith said.
The official cause of the fire is still under investigation, and no residents were injured.
“The driver of the garbage truck had no injuries- no injuries to any of the firefighters, responders. So, the fire was safely contained within the truck which is ideal,” Smith said.
Delta Solid Waste Management Authority Administration Manager Terri Rabitoy says there are a number of combustible items that can ignite if disposed of incorrectly.
“Paints, stains, gasoline- even if it’s soaked in a rag, that can cause a fire, can combust inside of the trucks and cause a fire. We also see things like the pressurized tanks, like the propane tanks or the spray paints, things like that. Those can also cause fires,” Rabitoy said.
She urges residents to use the county’s free drop-off programs for batteries and other flammable items instead of curbside containers. The complete list can be found online at Delta Solid Waste Management Authority – Delta County
The video above will feature the TV6 livestream until staff can clip the corresponding story, if available, from broadcasts or other TV6 content. You can subscribe to our YouTube page or download TV6+ to stream the latest local news and weather.