Trash Truck Fire Prompts Safety Warning To Bergen County Residents

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — After a garbage truck caught fire during on a public road in Ridgewood on Wednesday, an official in a nearby town reminded residents of what can happen when hazardous materials aren't disposed of properly.

Police said that emergency responders received a call at 7:44 a.m. about the truck, which was driving on Linwood Avenue. The sanitation crew managed to pull into a nearby parking lot to dump the smoky load. Fire Department Platoon B showed up at the lot to extinguish the blaze.

There were no injuries, said Ridgewood police, and both officials and residents praised the crew for quickly getting the truck off of a public street.

Hazardous Waste Disposal

David Spielman, a member of Teaneck's Environmental Commission, noted that the incident was a reminder to properly dispose of household hazardous waste. He said there are opportunities coming up for residents to dispose of flammable materials in the county.

"The next Bergen County Utilities Authority Household Hazardous Waste Collection is this coming Saturday at BCUA Headquarters in Moonachie," Spielman noted in a social media post. "For those of us who can't do Saturdays, the next Sunday collection is April 6 (just in time for Passover cleaning) at Bergen Community College in Paramus."

Can Prove Fatal

Among other hazardous materials, ion batteries, which are used in motorized scooters and ebikes, have exploded when not properly stored and disposed of. In fact, an ion battery explosion in an ebike shop caused a fire that killed four New York City residents in 2023, according to reports.

Some New Jersey towns have passed laws about the sale and disposal of the batteries. Read more about that here.