Columbus firefighters were sent to a vehicle fire in IUPUC’s parking lot which turned out to be debris on fire in a trash compactor truck.
Firefighters went to the scene at 1:39 p.m. Thursday at 4601 Central Ave. where they found a Best Way Disposal truck with smoke billowing from the trash compactor vehicle, said Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman.
According to firefighters at the scene, the quick-thinking truck operator pulled into a vacant portion of the Columbus campus parking lot, where he dumped the burning contents on to an open section of the lot.
Firefighters from Station 2, which is about 100 yards from the parking lot, arrived to find a large trash pile with flames showing on all sides, Wilson said.
With no additional vehicles or buildings in the proximity of the burning materials, firefighter went to work at extinguishing the fire, Wilson said. Due to the amount of debris, and that the fire was burning inside the pile of material, firefighters used a nearby fire hydrant for water, Wilson said.
To aid in accessing the smoldering materials burning deep within the pile, firefighters requested a front end loader be dispatched from the city’s Department of Public Works.
A representative of Best Way Disposal said that the debris would be removed by a Best Way crew.
No injuries were reported, Wilson said.
