Garbage Truck Fire Extinguished In Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield firefighters extinguished a garbage fire early Thursday morning in which crews found remains of propane cylinders in the pile of smoldering debris, according to officials. At about 6 a.m. on Dec. 7, firefighters responded to a report of a truck fire near Starbucks at 1740 Post Road.

Crews arrived on the scene within minutes and reported a garbage truck with its load on fire. The first arriving officer, Lt. Phil Higgins, instructed the driver to dump the flaming refuse into the road, an action that prevented the fire from extending to the vehicle, officials said in a post on Facebook.

Crews from three engines, one heavy rescue and one command vehicle quickly brought the blaze under control. The truck driver who reported the fire was not injured.

“Crews found remains of propane cylinders in the pile of smoldering debris, items which present a tremendous explosion hazard to Fire Fighters and refuse workers!,” officials said in the Facebook post.

“Pressurized cylinders, like propane tanks, should NEVER be discarded as residential waste,” Assistant Fire Chief Roger Caisse said. “Instead, they should be safely disposed of at designated collection points.”

The Town of Fairfield transfer station at 898 Richard White Way accepts typical camp and grill size propane cylinders for a $1 or $5 fee. Consult your town’s refuse program for their list of accepted materials.

Photo via the Fairfield Fire Department