Summerville family wants to be paid for damage from garbage truck fire

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Five months after a massive garbage truck fire damaged part of their home, a Summerville family says they have not been paid for the damage and are tired of waiting for compensation.

Kimberly Richards went to the window at her home in the Cane Bay area of Summerville on Oct. 4 because her 3-year-old niece liked to watch the garbage trucks pick up trash. But this time, she saw something concerning happen with the Carolina Waste truck.

“I saw that there was a spark, and I immediately ran to the door to let the driver know,” Richards said. “I called 911, I saw there was fluid leaking from underneath the truck, and I just said this thing’s gonna blow.”

The truck burst into flames, destroying her vehicle and damaging the front of her home.

Now five months later, the Richards family home still looks the same. They say they are still waiting for full compensation for the damage.

“I don’t want people driving down the street thinking we’re not wanting to repair our home,” Richards said. “If we go and repair it ourselves and they don’t pay us back, then we’re out of pocket ourselves, and that’s not fair either.”

The homeowners association in their community has since sent a letter to the family, threatening daily fines if they do not fix the damage soon. But the Richards feel it should not be their fees to pay.

“I just really don’t want to come out of pocket over something that’s not my fault,” Ernest Richards said. “If your truck blew up, just fix it. It’s simple.”

Carolina Waste, and its parent company Waste Connections, has not yet responded to multiple requests for comment.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.