Fire crews battle flames at 2 separate strike-related trash sites

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Fire Department was called to two fires at two separate trash dumping sites set up due to the DC 33 strike.

A large trash fire erupted in the 5000 block of Wyalusing Avenue in West Philadelphia just before 3 a.m. Sunday.

"They tried to set it on fire and I'm trying to figure out what is the point of that? You're going to set it on fire to do what? It's not going anywhere, it's going to still be here. They'll come dump it the next day," said Randall Pressley, who lives a few houses down from the site.

Pressley says people are taking advantage of the temporary city drop-off site. Instead of dumping trash bags, people and workers are dumping construction items, couches and other large materials.

What started as one dumpster now fills the entire block.

Pressley says he is trying to help clean and manage the area himself so his neighborhood will stay clean.

"This makes no sense, because I'm not the trash man. I'm not going to keep coming out here cleaning up; but it's coming towards my house," said Pressley. "It's like a 24-hour drive-through. But not for food, it's for trash."

The other fire happened two hours later and almost six miles away at Clarissa Street and Wayne Avenue in Wayne Junction.

Both fires were put out in 15 minutes.

The cause of those fires is under investigation.

These fires follow several dumpster fires at other strike-related sites.

Sunday marked day six of the strike after the union and city failed to reach deal.