BARTOW, Fla. — An early morning fire in Polk County caused $2.1 million in damages Polk Fire Rescue says.
Crews responded around 7 a.m. to a diesel forklift on fire on Bonnie Mine Road in Bartow. Authorities say the forklift was being used to unload and install solar panels.
The fire quickly spread to the panels, which posed a danger to crews because the panels contain chemicals that emit carcinogens when burned. Carcinogens are substances that promote the formation of cancer.
Authorities say crews used underwent a full decontamination following the fire to ensure no carcinogens came into contact with them. The process took just over four and a half hours.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
