DeKalb County crews worked for hours to put out a smoldering garbage truck fire in front of the county jail Friday morning.
The fire sent huge flames about 15 to 20 feet into the air over Memorial Drive when it was reported about 5 a.m., according to DeKalb fire officials. Once the flames were out, crews worked late into the morning to fully extinguish the fire on the truck, which was powered by natural gas and requires special considerations.
“Natural gas, obviously, is extremely flammable,” DeKalb firefighter Christopher Paliz told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from the scene. “That makes it much more dangerous. That’s why we had to use tactics for our safety, stand back a little bit, and make our way forward.”
At one point, the flames were so intense they charred the power lines above the garbage truck. The lines were checked by Georgia Power crews to ensure there were no hazards, Paliz said.
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
The driver of the garbage truck sustained minor injuries. According to Paliz, he stepped out and attempted to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher, but the flames continued to grow.
“It kind of scared him a little bit,” Paliz said. “He fell back and hit his elbow, but I think he’s going to be all right.”
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Firefighters let the natural gas burn out on its own, according to Paliz.
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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