Explosion In Truck Injures Employee

Man Injured After Explosion Inside Garbage Truck

On 1/24/2012 at 1420 hours, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 4500 block of Chumuckla Highway in reference to an explosion that occurred in a “Waste Pro” garbage truck. When deputies arrived, they found a “Waste Pro” employee on the ground after being thrown approximately ten feet due to the explosion. A secondary explosion occurred inside the truck briefly after the first one. The victim was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital. Pace Fire Department, State Fire Marshal, ATF, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office Bomb Squad responded to evaluate and investigate the incident. Chumuckla Highway was blocked for approximately 2 ½ hours until the scene was deemed safe. The truck was escorted to the County Landfill on DaLisa Road in Bagdad, at which time the contents were dumped in a controlled environment and inspected by ATF and the Fire Marshal’s Office. After inspecting the contents for approximately 15 minutes, investigators found the source of the explosions. The initial explosion was caused by someone discarding a home health care oxygen cylinder in a residential trash can. When the trash was compacted, the compactor blade struck the cylinder causing in to explode and ignite surrounding trash. The secondary explosion was from an aerosol can that was nearby. The State Fire Marshal is investigating the case and will be tracking the serial numbers of the cylinder to determine ownership. All agencies involved want to stress the severe danger that it causes when people improperly and illegally dispose of hazardous or flammable materials in a trash bin. These items need to be disposed of properly by returning them to a hazardous materials collection site or a medical facility that will accept the empty cylinders. The injuries to the employee currently appear to be minor. The State Fire Marshal will continue to handle the investigation.