A woman in New Hampshire has survived being compacted in a garbage truck after she was rescued by firefighters on Monday afternoon, according to local authorities.
The woman, who has not been named publicly, was seriously injured in the incident. Officials said the Manchester, N.H. local was compacted by the garbage truck at least four times before the driver realized she was among the trash inside.
The woman told firefighters she fell into the dumpster at an apartment complex on Beach Hill Drive while she was disposing of her garbage, local media reported. It is not clear how long she was inside the dumpster.
Authorities believe the victim became trapped in the garbage truck’s cargo container after the dumpster was emptied during a routine pickup. The sanitation worker reportedly noticed the woman trapped inside after spotting her on a video camera system installed inside the garbage truck.
The Manchester Fire Department said rescuers were able to speak to the woman through the truck’s side access panel, though she was not alert enough to answer any questions.
As part of a 30-minute rescue, firefighters pulled the woman out of the garbage truck through the topside. She was lifted out of the sanitation vehicle on a harness attached to the bucket of the fire truck, which was used like a crane.
The woman was transported to Manchester’s Elliot Hospital for treatment of her injuries. She is expected to recover.
“All you heard was screaming,” one neighbour, Amanda Czzowitz, told Fox affiliate Boston 25 News. “She was in agony.”
In an interview at the scene with WHDH 7News, Manchester Fire Chief Ryan Cashin praised the speedy rescue response by his firefighters.
Cashin said the injured woman was unable to get out of the garbage truck on her own.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the firefighters that are here today, all the companies on scene, they did a great job,” he continued. “This is not a textbook rescue. This is what we do. We show up, we use what we’ve got and we make it get done.”
Cashin said he’s never seen a situation like this one.
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