Woman tossing trash falls into dumpster, survives getting compacted in garbage truck

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — A woman fell into a dumpster while throwing out her garbage and was later rescued from a trash truck that had compacted the contents while she was inside, fire department officials in New Hampshire said.

Luckily, neighbors heard her screams and the trash compartment was equipped with a camera. The driver spotted the woman stuck inside and called 911. By then, the driver “had reportedly compacted the garbage up to four times,” the Manchester Fire Department said in a news release.

Rescuers used a basket ladder to reach the top of the truck and lift her out. By then, she was “standing/talking/yelling, but was not alert enough to answer questions,” the news release said.

The woman was taken to a hospital after Monday’s misadventure. Her name was not released.

“In 32 years, I’ve never seen anything like this my whole career,” Battalion Chief Bob Beaudet told WMUR-TV. “It’s alarming, because you don’t really think it’s true.”