Food Truck explodes at Vero Beach Seafood Festival, one person airlifted to burn unit

On Saturday morning, the Vero Beach Police Department was called to investigate a food truck that exploded at the Vero Beach, Florida, Seafood Festival that was getting ready to open up for the day at Riverside Park. The food truck was participating as a vendor in this weekend ‘s Seafood Festival which was being held inside Riverside Park.

*(Image credit: Vero Beach Police Department)*

One person was severely burned and had to be been airlifted to Arnold Palmer’s Hospital Burn Unit in Orlando for treatment. The injured party was the 53-year-owner of the food truck who resides in Port St. Lucie. Friends identified the owner as Michelle Dietterick, who operates the Michelle’s Catch of the Day food truck and Facebook page.

(*Michelle’s Catch of the Day Food Truck, Image credit: Facebook*)

Police spokesman Master Officer Darrell Rivers said there was a strong smell of propane coming from the vendor’s truck before the explosion. She was inside when it happened, he said. ~ TCPalm

Indian River County Fire Rescue and the State Fire Marshall’s Office Investigator were on scene investigating. The Seafood Festival is still going on and open to the public. No other injuries were reported.

For more on the exploding food truck, see the video accompanying this article.