Fire erupts in shredding truck

No one was injured in fire, which is under investigation

No one was injured in a fire that broke out in a shredding truck on March 4 in the parking lot of Clubhouse 2, but a mountain of soggy shreds of paper had to be reloaded by hand and after fire reignited in the truck, by a GRF forklift operator.

The cause of the fires is under investigation, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

Golden Age Foundation (GAF) volunteers ended up staying at the site until all papers were properly disposed of.

People who were turned away last week can have their documents shredded today from 10 a.m. -noon at the Clubhouse 2 parking lot. (See story, page 3.) GAF has had a contract with Mobile Shredding Company for more than five years without incident. The free event is held quarterly.

On March 4, as people were dropping off bags of paper to be shredded, thick smoke began to pour from the truck and witnesses reported an unpleasant odor at about 10:35 a.m.

GRF Security and Orange County Fire Authority Engine 48 responded and put out the fire.

When the smoke first appeared, the truck driver dumped the shredded contents onto the ground. Once firefighters departed, volunteers shoveled the paper back into the truck, planning to resume the service until 1 p.m.

The truck started smoking a second time, bringing firefighters back to the scene. The shredding service was then postponed until today, March 11.

GRF forklift operator Jaime Morales and Service Maintenance staff Steve Staley reloaded the debris onto the truck. Security and Recreation staff helped with the clean-up, and GAF volunteers remained at the scene until 1 p.m.

—Ruth Osborn

Laurie Bullock

GRF forklift operator Jaime Morales with other Service Maintenance staffers helped load shredded paper into the truck after a fire forced the truck driver to dump it.