Trash in the bin of City trash truck caught fire late Saturday afternoon on Las Palmas Avenue, between 2nd and Third Streets in Hancock Park, forcing the driver to empty all the trash on the street. Fire engines from Fire Station 61 on West Third Street were able to put out the fire.
The exact cause of the fire was unknown, but fire department officials told the Buzz that materials like oily rags in the trash can heat up and spontaneously combust.
While trash truck fires don’t happen very often, we can help avoid them by making sure not to put anything warm or hot in the trash, suggested Drew Fortier of Station 61. Be sure that coals from barbecues or any embers from a fireplace or pizza oven are completely out or cold before they go into the trash, said Fortier, who added that dousing them in water just to make sure is a good precaution.
Cindy Chvatal Keane, president of the Hancock Park Homeowners Association, Est. 1948, who shared her photos of the trash truck incident, told the Buzz this morning that city workers came back and cleaned everything up after the incident.
