Flaming Trash Dumped From Recycling Truck In Norwalk: FD

NORWALK, CT — A load of recycled items caught fire inside a Waste Management trash truck and had to be dumped out to protect the vehicle late Wednesday morning in Norwalk, according to fire officials.

In a news release, Deputy Chief Joseph Coppola said a trash truck on fire was reported at the intersection of Woodward and Neptune avenues around 11:30 a.m.

According to Coppola, the truck pulled into a parking lot on Woodward Avenue and dumped its contents to protect the vehicle from further damage.

Both the driver and another caller reported the truck's load was actively on fire, Coppola said.

When crews arrived, they found smoke and flames coming from a pile of recycling consisting mainly of cardboard and some plastics. A hose line was used to suppress the fire, Coppola said.

Additional crews were called to the area due to the size of the fire and the extra water needed to control it, according to Coppola.

Additional manpower was also required to pull the contents of the load apart and reach the deep-seated fire within, Coppola said.

The city's Department of Public Works used two front loaders to help pull the pile apart and expose hidden pockets of fire within it, according to Coppola.

The blaze was brought under control within a few minutes, however extensive overhaul was required that took over an hour to complete.

The contents were then transferred to a waiting dumpster container and taken to the city's transfer station by DPW crews, Coppola said.

No injuries were reported and the road remained open to traffic while crews extinguished the fire, Coppola said.

Police assisted with traffic control in the area and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was notified about water runoff from the firefighting operation getting into storm sewers, according to Coppola.