PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – A driver of a commercial truck escaped unharmed after he noticed his haul had caught fire. Police say it was caused by another motorist flicking a lit cigarette out the window.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department said it recently responded to NW Peacock Blvd/NW Mercantile Pl regarding a driver who flicked a lit cigarette butt out the window which landed in the bed of the truck, igniting materials and catching the truck on fire.
“Thankfully the driver was able to escape without injuries and the St. Lucie County Fire District responded to extinguish the vehicle fire,” the department said. “Cigarette butts are the most frequently littered items in the United States. Did you know that drivers can receive a littering citation with a fine for discarding a cigarette butt out the window?”
The department is asking residents to properly dispose of their cigarette butts.
“Eliminating litter in Port St. Lucie is a top priority so that our city can continue to be a great place to live and work,” the department said.