Hudson Crews Respond to Black Hawk Waste Truck Fire

By Dani McCulley
Photos by Brandi Banks

A Black Hawk Waste garbage truck caught fire Thursday afternoon near the corner of Thelma and Celeste streets in Hudson while local emergency crews were already responding to another fire north of town.

According to Hudson Police Chief Daniel Banks, the call came in at approximately 2 p.m. while he was at his home nearby. Banks said he was dispatched immediately and arrived at approximately 2:01 p.m.

When officers arrived, the driver was attempting to extinguish the fire, but the blaze quickly intensified and the truck became fully engulfed in flames.

Hudson police blocked off the roadway until the Hudson Fire Department arrived on scene. Due to several loud booms coming from the burning vehicle, one nearby resident was evacuated as a precaution.

At the time of the call, the Hudson Fire Department was already responding to another fire on Ranchero Road north of Hudson before being dispatched to the garbage truck fire.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, and no injuries were reported. The driver of the truck was unharmed.

The truck appeared to be a total loss.

Black Hawk Waste stated that another garbage truck was immediately dispatched so the route could continue Thursday afternoon while additional crews coordinated cleanup efforts at the scene.

The company also noted that cleanup crews may need to return multiple times to fully restore the area, noting, “It won’t look perfect after the first cleanup crew leaves, but we will return.”