Fire in Postal Service Truck Destroys Mail
A fire in a parked U.S. Postal Service truck destroyed some third-class mail addressed to residents and businesses in a downtown Ventura neighborhood Tuesday, authorities said.
The truck, which was parked outside 121 Fir St. while the mail carrier was at lunch, caught fire about 12:30 p.m. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, and no one was hurt.
Third-class mail in bins beside the driver’s seat caught fire and was destroyed. To prevent theft, the carrier had locked the first-class mail in the back of the truck.
“That saved the mail,” said postal service carrier supervisor Carlos San Pedro. Some first-class mail was damaged by smoke and heat but was still delivered on the route, serving Poli and Santa Clara streets.
Ventura Fire Capt. Don McPherson estimated the damage to the 1990 Grumman truck at $4,000. McPherson said the fire began in the truck’s engine compartment and spread into the driver’s area. The carrier had reported trouble with the vehicle earlier in the day.
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