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Violent Recycling Truck Fire Causes Large Explosions

By Steve Yamamoto | February 1, 2011

At approximately 9:40 am on Tuesday, February 1, 2011, units from the Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) responded to a call for a recycling truck that was on fire off of the 2800 block of Ladoga Ave.  Engine 18 arrived on scene in less than five minutes and saw that there was moderate to heavy amounts of fire and black smoke coming from the large recycling truck.  Luckily the truck was in the middle of the street and there were no other vehicles or bystandards close by the roaring blaze that was radiating intense heat.  Firefighters quickly pulled an attack hose line and began knocking the heavy fire down despite the large explosions that were taking place right in front of them.  Engine 22 was also called out for backup on another hose line because of the size of the vehicle involved and the large cumbersome fire.  Due to the location of the fire, Firefighters had to climb on top of the truck to finally extinguish the blaze from above.  Other crewmembers diked off the gutters on the street with sand preventing any contaminated water or foam from reaching the storm drain that would potentially pollute the ocean. 

Fortunately the driver had made it out of the cab safely and was uninjured.  The Health Department was called out and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.  There were a total of three Fire Department apparatus and nine personnel operating on scene of this fire that took place in the 5th Council District.

Topics: Incidents, Video | 148 Comments »

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