Garbage Truck Catches Fire in Citrus Heights Due to Discarded Tesla Battery

Sacramento Metro Fire District firefighters responded quickly on Monday afternoon after a discarded Tesla wall battery sparked a fire inside a residential collection truck in Citrus Heights.

To keep the flames from destroying the vehicle, the driver emptied the load onto the roadway. Fire crews arrived on scene to find heavy smoke emerging from the dumped trash pile and worked to extinguish the smoldering materials before they could spread.

No injuries were reported during the incident, though local street traffic was briefly diverted while emergency workers cleaned up the charred refuse. Fire officials emphasized that high-capacity lithium-ion power packs and large household batteries must never be thrown into standard bins due to the intense fire risk they pose when crushed by compactors.