Leuven: (Brussels Morning) – A garbage truck fire near the Leuven courthouse was quickly extinguished by firefighters who attributed the blaze to a damaged electronic device in the compacted waste. The prompt response and actions of the waste company workers and fire brigade prevented further damage.
On 3rd July 2024 in morning there was a fire in a garbage truck near the courthouse in Leuven. It happened right after the garbage was put into the truck.The fire was put out quickly stopping it from getting worse. The emergency responders acted fast to handle the situation making sure there was little disturbance and damage.
What Caused the Garbage Truck Fire Near the Leuven Courthouse.
Arne Dewaet the firefighter,said the fire in the garbage truck likely started because of broken electronics in the squashed waste. For example a mobile phone battery might have been damaged when the waste was compressed leading to a short circuit or heat that could ignite a fire. When batteries get crushed they can spark or release heat causing a fire in the tightly packed and flammable materials in the truck. After the damaged battery sparked the fire in the squashed waste it quickly spread throughout the truck’s load which likely had flammable stuff like paper and plastic. The fire spread fast because the load was tightly packed giving the flames plenty of fuel.
How Did the Leuven Firefighters and Waste Company Workers Quickly Extinguish the Garbage Truck Blaze and Prevent Further Damage?
The fire brigade rushed to the waste truck fire near the Leuven courthouse because of a recent fire at the sports hall in Hoegaarden. In that case, a fire started from a waste container that was intentionally set on fire causing a lot of damage. This earlier event made the emergency services more alert and ready for similar situations. When the fire started in the waste truck the waste company workers quickly emptied the truck and dumped the load on the street. This fast decision stopped the fire from causing more damage to the truck and spreading to nearby buildings.
Dewaet talked about the incident highlighting how quickly their team put out the fire. They said their truck operators are trained to act fast in emergencies, showing they are well-prepared for such situations. Dewaet mentioned that even though it was alarming at first they managed to control the situation swiftly confirming that there were no major consequences from the incident.
