What to Know
- A sanitation worker suffered shrapnel wounds to parts of his body after a gas tank exploded inside a garbage truck Friday, official says
- The FDNY says it received a call around 6:40 a.m. of a truck fire on 12th Street and 7th Avenue in the Park Slope section.
- The worker suffered shrapnel wounds to his eye, neck, chest and shoulder, according to Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association president said
A sanitation worker suffered shrapnel wounds to various parts of his body after a gas tank exploded inside a garbage truck Friday morning in Brooklyn, officials say.
The FDNY says it received a call around 6:40 a.m. of a truck fire on 12th Street and 7th Avenue in the Park Slope section.
Fire officials said that the incident was possibly due to propane or some sort of aerosol, but were unclear.
According to the city's Department of Sanitation officials, a suspected helium tank exploded in the hopper of the truck, knocking over a sanitation worker who was taken to a local hospital.
In a statement Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association President Harry Nespoli called on New Yorkers to consider the safety of sanitation workers when they dispose of trash.
“New Yorkers should consider the safety of the dedicated men and women of the Department of Sanitation, who are serving the public on our streets every day,” Nespoli said. “Please don’t place dangerous chemicals or other items in household trash.”
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Nespoli said that sanitation worker David Yen, a 13-year veteran, suffered shrapnel wounds to his eye, neck, chest and shoulder when the helium canister exploded in the back of truck on which Yen was working. The canister was in a plastic bag along with other trash.
Yen is being treated at Methodist Hospital, according to Nespoli.
The DSNY reminds the public it is illegal to dispose of helium tanks in the trash.
The incident is under investigation by DSNY police.
