Lawn Mower Catches Fire on Ford City Brownfields
A Ford City Borough lawnmower caught fire yesterday afternoon at the Ford City brownfields, but the operator was not injured. (submitted photo)
by Jonathan Weaver
A Ford City Borough appliance will have to be replaced after one caught fire during operation yesterday afternoon.
About 1:30PM, a Borough lawn mower caught fire in the Ford City brownfields near the Allegheny River, causing response from local fire and police officials.
Ford City Fire Department Chief Ron Wojcik explained what happened.
“They were over there cutting, and the battery wire shorted out and caught the thing on fire,” Chief Wojcik said.
Wojcik said the local volunteer firefighters had no trouble putting out the flames, however, and were gone from the scene within about a half-hour.
Nobody was injured.
After last night’s work session, Ford City Borough Manager Eden Ratliff said there is some dead grass at the brownfields, but no significant property damage and no structures were impacted.
However, the machine was destroyed.
“There’s nothing left except for the metal frame of the lawnmower,” Ratliff said.
Employees usually cut grass in the area once per week, but officials did not notice any problems during the last operation.
He has already talked with Borough Council Vice-President Jerry Miklos another machine is needed to keep up with regular grass cutting. He hoped for that to be a discussion item at August’s regular council meeting.
The Borough also has two other lawn mowers.
Local News | jweaver July 28, 2015
