U.S. man rescued after getting stuck inside garbage truck
Footage of the rescue, shared by the San Francisco Fire Department, showed firefighters digging through a mountain of trash to find the trapped man.
A San Francisco man became stuck inside a garbage truck early Wednesday morning, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. Footage shared by the department showed firefighters digging through a pile of trash to locate the trapped individual. The fire department responded to reports of yelling coming from inside the Recology garbage truck around 4:11 a.m. Crews removed the entire truck to search for the man, who was found conscious and speaking with the rescuers before being taken to a local trauma center for medical treatment.
The extent of his injuries has not been disclosed, but a firefighter also suffered a hand injury during the rescue and required stitches. The incident occurred when a passerby alerted the garbage truck driver to someone yelling inside the vehicle. The driver then called for assistance, as the trapped individual could not free himself.
About 25 firefighters were involved in the rescue effort, which lasted approximately two hours. Capt. Mariano Elias, a public information officer for the fire department, explained that this type of situation can happen occasionally, with some people seeking food or other items from dumpsters. In 2025, a New York man tragically died after he was sleeping in a dumpster and the contents were dumped into a garbage truck.
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