North Royalton – A Rumpke garbage truck caught fire earlier yesterday while collecting trash on Hilary Drive in the St. Thomas Woods development, forcing the driver to dump the entire load onto the street to prevent equipment damage.
The driver noticed smoke coming from the truck and immediately ejected the load as a safety precaution. North Royalton Fire Department responded to extinguish the flames while the Service Department closed the street. Rumpke crews are currently cleaning up the debris, and the driver was able to continue his route after safely disposing of the burning load.
Fire officials determined the cause was a lithium battery that had been improperly disposed of in curbside garbage collection. Lithium batteries are classified as hazardous waste and should never be thrown away with regular trash.
City officials remind residents to follow the Recycling Guidelines available on the Service Department page at northroyalton.org. Lithium batteries can be recycled free of charge through Call2Recycle drop boxes located at retail stores including Lowe’s and Home Depot.
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