Shredded documents caught fire in the back of a document destruction service six-wheel truck Wednesday in the O’Shaughnessy Education Center parking lot in front of Frey Hall.
The smell of smoke filled the air as two St. Paul fire trucks arrived on the scene. When firefighters opened the rear doors to the Shred Right vehicle, a large cloud of smoke exited the back along with scraps of shredded documents.
“I could smell (the smoke) first of all, and then I could see it coming out of the little cracks in the back there,” Shred Right employee and driver Zach Olson said. “We immediately called 911 because I didn’t want to take any chances.”
Firefighters entered the back of the truck and began shoveling around the large pile of shredded paper before they sprayed down the interior with a fire hose.
Firefighters on scene declined to comment.
Scout Mason can be reached at maso7275@stthomas.edu.