The strategic thinking of Ocala Fire Rescue firefighters prevented a commercial structure fire on Wednesday morning after a blaze broke out inside a trash compactor at the Goodwill Outlet.
Firefighters were dispatched to the business, located at 2920 W Silver Springs Blvd., on Wednesday, May 6, at 11:17 a.m. following reports of an outside fire.
Upon arrival, crews discovered the fire originated within a commercial compactor that was positioned in a dangerous location, nestled between two semi-trailers at the loading dock. According to OFR, the flames were getting dangerously close to the main building.
Recognizing that the fire could quickly spread to the building or the nearby trailers, crews utilized Squad 7 to pull the trash compactor away from the loading dock and into an open parking area.
The maneuver allowed firefighters unrestricted access to the source of the flames and successfully isolated the heat from the commercial structure and trailers.
Once in the open area, crews from Ladder 3 and Engine 4 used water and foam to douse the burning refuse as it spilled from the open end of the green Waste Management compactor.
The fire was successfully contained to the compactor, and no damage to the building or injuries were reported.
Department officials noted that the quick decision to relocate the compactor averted what could have been a major disaster.