DES MOINES, IOWA — A stinky, steamy mess is being cleaned up on the south side of Des Moines after a garbage truck caught fire this afternoon. It happened around 2:00 pm in the 5200 block of Park Avenue – west of George Flagg Parkway.

A garbage truck was driving along Park Avenue when the driver apparently became aware that the trash in the back of his truck was on fire. To save the truck from the fire, the driver dumped the smoldering load of trash in a parking lot belonging to the Des Moines Soccer Club.

Des Moines firefighters say when they arrived the trash pile had erupted into flames. Park Avenue was closed down as firefighters had to use a hydrant across the street to fight the flames but the roadway has since reopened. There’s no word on when the remnants of the fire will be cleaned up.