Jackie Danicki

Dumpster on fire outside The Waldo

Originally uploaded by dynamist.

This is the scene on W. 8th Street in Cincinnati as I type. The firefighters banished concerned residents back inside after about ten minutes. I don’t know why, as everything seems to be in control now, even though there is still plentiful smoke.

Tom Reed, who oversees renovations at The Waldo (and whose wife, Connie Wilson, owns the building via her company Wilson Enterprises) told me tonight that he had tried to get the Dumpster moved this past Saturday. There is a yellow Volkswagen parked illegally in front of it - which is visible in the photos - and the company he rented the Dumpster from is not able to move it with the car in the way. Police at the station in Over-the-Rhine told him again today that the car hadn’t been there long enough for them to tow it.

And now, a fire. That should cost the taxpayer a pretty penny.

UPDATE: There are now two fire trucks on the scene. W. 8th Street is still closed, and firefighters are bailing stuff out of the Dumpster as fast as they can, while still dousing the contents with water. The entire block between Piatt Park and City Hall is smoky.

Both fire trucks finally left at 11PM on the dot, after being on the scene for at least an hour (I think they were around for a while before I noticed them).

Filed under: Life