Truck fire knocks out power, sends cloud of smoke into air in Des Plaines
DES PLAINES, Ill. (CBS) -- A truck fire was to blame for a cloud of black smoke that caused alarm in Des Plaines Thursday morning.
The fire was also to blame for a power outage in the nearby area.
The Des Plaines Fire Department said at 11:32 a.m., firefighters were called to the area of Rand and Seegers roads for a truck fire. They found a semi-trailer truck ablaze at the scene.
A large roll-off dumpster was attached to the burning truck in a raised position, the fire department said.
Firefighters used hand lines to put out the fire, and employed the water supply from a nearby fire hydrant, the fire department said.
There were power lines immediately overhead, and there was concern that the fire might already have burned them away. ComEd came to the scene to evaluate power issues, the fire department said.
Multiple lanes of Rand Road were closed in case live power lines ended up falling on the road, the fire department said.
There was a significant power outage affecting the immediate area, and the area to the north.
The fire department said it is believed the truck driver was trying to pull the dumpster up onto its trailer when the load shifted – and the dumpster made contact with the power lines. The dumpster and the truck became energized – and the truck caught fire, the fire department said.
As the truck burned, calls came in about a cloud of black smoke – with concern that it was close to a nearby ComEd facility, the fire department said.
No injuries were reported.