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Clearwater yard waste truck clips wire, causes lines to fall — and neighborhood to go dark

Six homes were evacuated in the area amid concerns that gas tanks on the truck would ignite.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Emergency responders evacuated six homes amid concern that gas tanks on a nearby truck would explode after the vehicle came in contact with a power line and caused a fire.

It happened just before 11 a.m. in the area of San Sebastian Way South and Montclair Road, according to a Clearwater Police Department news release.

The agency says a city yard waste truck with a boom attached came in contact with low-hanging electrical wire. The collision caused a pole and several wires to collapse, with one falling across the back of the truck and igniting some of the vegetation on board.

Because the power line was active, firefighters could not immediately attack the fire, the department said.

Given some concern about the gas tanks on the truck, people inside six homes were evacuated. The tanks did not ignite, however, the tires on the trucks blew out.

The department did not immediately detail whether there were any injuries.

Duke Energy's online outage map shows power has been restored to the area.

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