Dubuque, Iowa – June 8, 2026 — Firefighters from the Dubuque Fire Department responded swiftly to a fully involved commercial vehicle fire at 501 Seippel Road on Monday afternoon, successfully preventing the blaze from spreading to the adjacent Simmons Pet Food facility amid challenging rainy and stormy weather conditions. The incident was reported around 4:30 p.m.

Upon arrival, crews found a semi-truck heavily engulfed in flames positioned near the pet food manufacturing plant and in close proximity to propane cylinders. Firefighters immediately launched an aggressive exterior attack, applying water to the fire within two minutes. Additional personnel established a reliable water supply while simultaneously checking the nearby building for any signs of fire extension.

As suppression efforts continued, responders identified significant leaks of engine oil and coolant from the burning truck. The department’s Hazardous Materials Team was deployed to manage the environmental risks, particularly given the heavy rainfall that increased the potential for contaminated runoff. Crews utilized absorbent materials and containment booms to limit spread, though some runoff still reached a nearby grassy area. Facility representatives and the involved trucking company were later notified of an estimated release of 10–15 gallons of engine coolant and 9–15 gallons of engine oil.

Further complicating the response, fire had extended into an adjacent trash compactor and dumpster area. Firefighters cut access points into the dumpster, applied foam and water to extinguish the smoldering materials, and coordinated with a recycling contractor to safely remove and dump the contents for final extinguishment and overhaul.

The fire was brought under control without any extension into the main Simmons Pet Food structure, which is valued at approximately $42 million. No injuries were reported among firefighters or facility personnel.

The semi-truck sustained heavy fire damage and was declared a total loss, with an estimated replacement value of $175,000. The fire also compromised the side wall of a nearby dumpster, resulting in an estimated replacement cost of $8,500.

Fire crews remained on scene for an extended period to complete overhaul operations, perform environmental mitigation, and decontaminate equipment.

Battalion Chief Nick Esch of Shift 2 praised the coordinated response, noting that rapid intervention protected the high-value facility from potential major damage.