A driver is being acclaimed for her intervention which prevented a garbage truck, on fire, from crashing into Orange County homes on Friday morning. The event occurred around 7:50 am on Mount Triumph Way, Yorba Linda, with the truck catching fire just a few feet from a residence.
The homeowners, Mark and Candice Holman reported that their children were in bed at the time of the incident. Candice expressed concerns about the potential danger as the fire approached the vehicles gas tank. Before its momentum was halted, the truck damaged two of the Holmans new vehicles and ignited the adjacent hillside, posing a risk to the drivers life.
Mark Holman described the situation as bad, with a fully engulfed tree. However, authorities noted that the outcome could have been worse, if not for the truck operator who bravely prevented the fire from spreading.
The driver had abandoned her truck at the start of the fire, but heroically returned to apply the emergency brake, preventing its uncontrolled descent down the street. Officials reported that the driver did not sustain any injuries.
Sean Doran, Orange County Fire Authority Captain, praised the outcome, considering the potential consequences: a runaway, burning vehicle could have crashed into a house, and the driver could have been run over.
Some of the Holmans Christmas presents, stored in their vehicles, were lost to the fire. Candice noted that their losses, albeit material, were replaceable and praised the driver for risking her life to protect houses. A full investigation into the fires cause has been announced by the Orange County Fire Authority.
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