NORWALK, CT - The City of Norwalk Fire Department responded to a report of a Waste Management trash truck on fire at the intersection of Woodward Avenue at Neptune Avenue at 11:19 A.M. on January 22nd.  

The truck pulled into the parking area of 145 Woodward Avenue and expelled its contents in the lot to protect the vehicle from further damage. Calls from the driver of the truck and a third party reported that the truck’s load was actively on fire.  

Upon arrival, Engine 3 encountered smoke and fire from a pile of recycling, made up of primarily cardboard and some plastics. A hose line was deployed on the fire to suppress it. The size of the fire, and the extra water needed to control it, required an additional engine company to the scene. Engine 1 responded and provided water supply and additional manpower to pull the contents apart to get to deep-seated fire within the load. At the request of Lt. Coleman from Engine 3, Norwalk DPW responded and deployed two front loaders and a supervisor to assist with pulling the pile apart to expose hidden pockets of fire within it.     

The fire was brought under control within a few minutes by two engine companies consisting of eight personnel and a Safety Officer, for a total of nine suppression personnel. There was extensive overhaul and that took over an hour to complete. The contents were then transferred to a waiting dumpster container and taken to the transfer station by DPW crews. Norwalk Police assisted with traffic control in the area, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) was notified of the water runoff from firefighting operations getting into storm sewers.

There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters, and the roadway remained open to traffic during firefighting operations.