A recycling truck driver averted potential disaster early Tuesday by dumping a burning load in an empty parking lot near Cornell University.
After noticing smoke coming from his truck in a residential area, the driver swiftly moved to Cornell’s A Lot and unloaded the smoldering materials onto the pavement.
Cayuga Heights Fire Department responded at 4:23 a.m. to find the pile fully engulfed. With assistance from Cornell’s equipment, firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 30 minutes.
Fire Chief George Tamborelle praised the driver’s quick thinking and urged residents to recycle properly, noting non-recyclable items like car seats were found in the load.
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