For Immediate Release:

Contact Battalion Chief Britt Matthews (760) 560-7432

On October 31, 2022 at approximately 12:46 PM, a single Engine Company was dispatched to an apartment complex at 975 Del Dios Road for a report of a trash truck on fire. Upon arrival of the Engine Company found an EDCO trash truck adjacent to a multi-story apartment building, mechanically disabled and fully involved with fire. A full structure response was requested.

Units were able to quickly mitigate the threat to the structures and contain the fire to the truck. Extinguishment of the trash truck’s contents proved to be complicated. Damaged fuel and hydraulic lines limited access to the trucks burning contents. Also, due spilled diesel fuel and hydraulic fluid there was also concern about the water runoff from extinguishment efforts. Firefighters cooled the truck while a plan was devised to gain access to the actual burning material.

The City of Escondido Public Works Department responded to provide material to contain runoff and protect storm drains. San Diego County Hazardous Incident Response and San Diego Fire Department Hazardous Materials Teams responded to aid with monitoring. EDCO representatives also responded to provide technical assistance.

EDCO employees were able to manually open the trucks trash containers with the assistance of firefighters. A portion of the contents were removed from the truck and extinguished. This created access for Firefighters to extinguish the remaining material in the truck.

Firefighters were committed to the incident for approximately five hours. No civilians or Firefighters were injured during the incident.