Burning Garbage Truck Closes South Van Ness Block
Drivers should avoid South Van Ness between 16th and 17th streets while crews clear the street.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
Drivers and Mission District residents along South Van Ness Avenue faced a closure Thursday morning after a garbage truck caught fire and burning trash was dumped into the street. The incident happened on South Van Ness between 16th and 17th streets, and the SF Fire Department posted about it on X.
Why it matters
A fire on a garbage truck is a reminder that discarded batteries can ignite in collection trucks, a risk that affects crews and everyone living along the route. The SF Fire Department suspects a battery fire started the blaze, but the cause has not been confirmed.
The closure was announced as of 10:21 am Thursday, covering one block of South Van Ness between 16th and 17th streets. The fire's source has not been confirmed, and the Fire Department's battery-fire theory remains a working suspicion.
The players
SF Fire Department
The city agency that responded to the blaze, posted public updates, and is investigating the likely battery-fire cause.
Recology
San Francisco's primary waste hauler, whose guidance on disposing of dead batteries the Fire Department pointed residents toward.
The details
The garbage truck fire sent a pile of burning trash into the middle of South Van Ness Avenue in the Mission District on Thursday morning, and drivers were told to stay away from the block between 16th and 17th streets. The SF Fire Department shared updates on X and suspects a battery fire ignited on the truck, though the cause is still unknown. The Fire Department also pointed residents to a Recology web page on disposing of dead batteries, which advises placing them in a clear plastic bag on top of a closed black or gray bin.
Timeline
Thursday morning, November 5, 2026: garbage truck fire and street closure on South Van Ness.
10:21 am Thursday: drivers advised to avoid the area.
Across the Bay
Lithium-ion batteries tossed into household trash have repeatedly sparked fires in collection trucks, and this Mission District blaze follows that pattern. Recology's disposal guidance for dead batteries is the local safeguard the Fire Department pointed to after the fire.
If you live or drive near South Van Ness between 16th and 17th streets, expect the block to be closed while crews cleared the burning trash. Check the Recology page before tossing any dead battery in your bin, since a clear plastic bag on a closed black or gray bin is the recommended method.
The takeaway
A single discarded battery can start a fire that closes a city block, so keep dead batteries out of ordinary trash. Watch the SF Fire Department's X account for updates on the cause of this fire.
Further reading
For more on how battery technology is changing the vehicles on our streets, explore Electric Vehicles.
