FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno firefighters worked Thursday afternoon to extinguish a fire in an electric garbage truck on North Winery Avenue that forced a lane closure and required the department’s Hazardous Materials Response Team.
What happened
The commercial vehicle fire was reported just after noon on North Winery Avenue near Princeton Avenue, according to Fresno fire officials. The truck’s driver reported hearing popping sounds and seeing smoke coming from the trash collection compartment before calling emergency services.
Responding crews determined that gas readings at the scene were consistent with a lithium-ion battery fire. Firefighters said they suspect a discarded lithium-ion battery inside one of the collected waste receptacles ignited the blaze.
“Gas readings detected at the scene were consistent with a lithium-ion battery fire,”
Operational challenges
Firefighters faced an additional complication because the truck’s design prevents the trash load from being dumped without electrical power. With the vehicle powered down for safety, crews had to identify an alternate way to access the trash compartment and fully extinguish the fire.
Fresno Fire’s Hazardous Materials Response Team remained on scene to monitor readings and advise on tactics to mitigate the hazard posed by the battery chemistry and burning contents.
- Location: North Winery Avenue near Princeton Avenue
- Time reported: Just after noon (Thursday)
- Response: Fresno Fire Department and Hazardous Materials Response Team
- Street status: Winery Avenue closed between Princeton and Michigan avenues
Traffic and public safety
City officials closed Winery Avenue between Princeton and Michigan avenues while crews worked to safely mitigate the incident. Motorists were urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes during firefighting and mitigation operations.
Fresno Fire did not report any injuries to the truck driver or firefighters in initial statements. The department emphasized that the vehicle’s design and the potential for re-ignition of lithium-ion cells required a cautious and methodical approach.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | Electric commercial garbage truck |
| Hazard suspected | Lithium-ion battery fire inside trash compartment |
| Responders | Fresno Fire Department, Hazardous Materials Response Team |
| Road closure | Winery Avenue between Princeton and Michigan avenues |
Context and precautions
As more collection fleets adopt electric vehicles, incidents involving battery fires can present different challenges than fires in conventional diesel trucks. Fire departments across the country have noted that lithium-ion batteries can exhibit dangerous thermal runaway and may require prolonged cooling and specialized tactics to ensure full extinguishment and to prevent re-ignition.
Fresno residents and businesses can reduce the risk of similar incidents by taking care with the disposal of batteries and electronic devices — particularly loose lithium-ion batteries from items such as e-cigarettes, power tools and small electronics. When possible, batteries should be stored and transported to recycling or hazardous-waste programs rather than placed loosely in curbside waste containers.
- Avoid placing loose lithium-ion batteries in regular trash receptacles.
- Keep batteries and damaged electronics isolated and taped over terminals when storing or preparing for disposal.
- Use city or county hazardous-waste collection programs for battery disposal when available.
Fresno Fire continued mitigation efforts into the afternoon. Drivers were advised to steer clear of the area while crews worked and to follow local traffic advisories for updates on road reopenings.
This report is based on information provided by the Fresno Fire Department and local dispatch; officials are continuing to investigate the cause and full extent of the incident.
