INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Fire Rescue responded to a Waste Management recycling truck carrying cardboard that caught fire around 12:30 p.m.
There is currently a detour on Highway A1A because of the cleanup of the debris. The fire occurred near the Sumerplace neighborhood. The detour takes drivers from Coco Plum Lane to Frangipani Drive to CR 510.
It will be a few hours before the roadway is clear, according to authorities. They had to dump the whole load on the road to put out the fire and check for safety issues. Debris was spread over a half block area. One engine from Station 11 and a brush truck were called out to fight the fire.
It was fortunate it was not a truck with household trash, commented Fire Rescue. That would have possibly turned into a scene with hazardous materials such as chemicals, oil, or aerosol cans.
Representatives from Waste Management were on scene for the cleanup, a crane was brought in as well. Members of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office including deputies and the Citizen’s Area Patrol, and neighbors, helped with traffic control.
The fire was extinguished as of 2:10 p.m.