Man nearly crushed to death in trash truck

PENSACOLA, Fla. (WEAR) - A tragedy almost took place in Florida when a homeless man took shelter in a trash bin.

Officials said he is lucky to be alive after he was dumped in a trash compactor and nearly compressed to death.

When the garbage truck lifted the can during its routine stop early Wednesday morning, the man was dumped into the compactor with bags of garbage.

Escambia County Fire Battalion Chief Kurt Isaacson tells me someone from the apartment’s alerted dispatch after hearing screams coming from inside the truck.

A 911 caller said, “I heard the guy yelling from across the street. I don’t know if he needs medical attention or not. That’s why I’m calling.”

“The dispatch center contacted that trash company to let the driver know that they had picked up somebody that was in a trash truck. Otherwise they would not have known,” Isaacson said.

The driver of the garbage truck stopped at a nearby gas station.

“So he stopped right there. “And then once he stopped and got out, he could then hear and confirm that somebody was inside with the trash,” Isaacson said.

The man was hurt when the compactor was activated, compressing all contents inside.

Isaacson says the man was taken to the hospital to be treated.

There’s no word on his condition.

Authorities have not released the man’s name but they said he is homeless and was sleeping inside an apartment complex trash bin when it happened.

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