Fire injures 1 person and destroys longtime local food truck in Okatie SC
A Friday morning fire engulfed a family-owned food truck that was parked in an Okatie neighborhood, destroying the kitchen trailer and leaving one person with non-life-threatening injuries.
At about 7 a.m., Bluffton firefighters responded to the vehicle fire in the Rivers End subdivision, where they found The Lunch Lady Food Truck aflame. Neighbors who called in about the fire reported hearing an “explosion,” said Stephen Combs, the Bluffton Township Fire District’s spokesperson.
While firefighters were able to save the attached pickup truck, the kitchen trailer was not recoverable.
Owned by Mindi Meyaard, The Lunch Lady Food Truck served a wide variety of eats — from fried oysters and lobster rolls to chicken salad croissants and gyro wraps.
The truck is an extension of Meyaard’s business The Lunch Lady, which has been family owned and operated since 2007, according to its website. In January 2023, the family shuttered its restaurant location but continued to run the food truck and catering services.
“The Lunch Lady Food Truck caught fire this morning. Unfortunately, it is totally destroyed!” a Friday Facebook post read. “My husband was burned and he is being treated at MUSC for burns to his face neck and arms.”
Meyaard had not returned The Island Packet’s request for comment as of noon Saturday.
On Saturday morning, Combs said the cause of the fire is undetermined. According to Combs, Fire Marshal Dan Wiltse concluded the food trailer was too damaged and there were too many possible ignition sources to narrow the fire to a single cause. As a result, the fire investigation is closed.
