APOPKA, Fla. — Three Apopka garbage trucks were destroyed in a fire on Wednesday afternoon.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. City officials said it could’ve been caused by anything ranging from hot trash to rodents chewing on wiring.
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No matter what the cause, officials said the fire burned hot enough to melt the trucks’ tires and ruin their steel siding.
Officials said the fire started with the middle truck and then spread to the two trucks next to it.
One of the trucks is a rear loader used for yard waste, and the other two are front-end loaders used for businesses with dumpsters.
The total damage is estimated at more than $1 million. The city said the damage will affect trash pickup for businesses.
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“Businesses with dumpsters will be almost a day behind and Saturdays and Sundays we typically only run one commercial route, so we will run two,” said Josh Robinson, the city of Apopka waste management director.
If all goes as planned, city officials said they will have dumpster pickup back on schedule by Monday. The city was already able to rent a replacement for the yard waste truck, which is on the road now. That means the city doesn’t expect homeowners to experience any issues with yard pickups.
Eventually, the city wants to buy replacements for the trucks, but that could take more than a year. The last truck they bought took 14 months to arrive.
Photos: 3 garbage trucks destroyed in Apopka fire
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