Sanford firefighters rescue individual trapped inside back of garbage truck
Sanford Fire Department's technical rescue team lifted a man who was trapped in a garbage truck Wednesday morning. (Courtesy of Sanford Fire Department)
A person who had fallen asleep inside a dumpster near the Sanford House of Pizza had to be rescued by firefighters Wednesday morning after they were accidentally dumped into a garbage truck.
Crews responded around 9 a.m. to a call from the operator of a Waste Management truck who had begun compressing the contents of the truck before realizing a person was trapped inside, Assistant Fire Chief Rick Smith said.
The person, who was not identified, was pulled out of the truck by the fire department’s technical rescue team, whose members are trained and equipped to handle rescues from high angles, low angles, confined spaces and more, Smith said.
The person was removed using a system of ropes and pulleys attached to the ladder of the firetruck, before being lowered safely to the ground and transported to Maine Medical Center out of precaution.
As of late Wednesday morning, the individual was in stable condition with no obvious external injuries, Smith said, adding that situations like this one highlight the need for the technical rescue team.
“ A lot of other towns don’t have the resources and equipment to be able to do that type of work,” he said. “So they can call us in, and we’ll provide them the technical assistance, equipment and manpower to assist them in those rescues.”
Smith also said the unusual rescue was a reminder that regardless of the season, people who are homeless may often resort to sleeping in unconventional places as a way to get out of the weather.
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Tagged: EMS, Fire Department
Abigail is a community reporter for Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Sanford, and Wells. She recently moved up to Maine from Connecticut after getting her bachelor’s degree in English/Journalism at the University. More by Abigail Driscoll
