- A sanitation worker in Milwaukee suffered a concussion and shrapnel injuries due to an explosion caused by discarded oxygen tanks.
- The incident occurred when the tanks exploded inside a sanitation truck during its waste compaction process.
- Milwaukee officials are investigating how the pressurized tanks ended up in the residential garbage stream, warning against improper disposal.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN — Ten days after a Milwaukee police officer was knocked to the ground by a firework explosion on Brady Street, another blast in the city injured a public employee. This time, two oxygen tanks discarded with ordinary household garbage exploded inside a sanitation truck.
The incident happened on the morning of Wednesday, July 15, near North 9th Street and West Abert Place, just south of West Capitol Drive.
Video released by the Milwaukee Department of Public Works shows two sanitation employees working behind the truck moments before a sudden explosion sends smoke and debris from the rear compartment. One worker is thrown backward and falls onto the pavement.
Tanks Exploded as Truck Compacted the Trash
The crew had begun its residential collection route when garbage containing the pressurized cylinders was emptied into the truck.
Officials said two oxygen tanks exploded as the truck’s packing mechanism compressed the waste. Both employees were positioned near the rear of the vehicle when the blast occurred.
The video shows one worker standing close to the truck’s hopper immediately before the explosion. The force of the blast knocked him off his feet as pieces of debris were propelled from the vehicle.
The second employee moved away from the truck after the explosion. Local reports did not identify any serious injury suffered by that worker.
Officials have not publicly identified the household or person who discarded the oxygen tanks. It is also unclear whether the tanks were believed to be empty when they were placed in the trash.
Worker Suffered Concussion and Shrapnel Injuries
Milwaukee DPW Sanitation Services Manager Rick Meyers said the injured employee suffered a concussion and shrapnel wounds in several areas of his body.
One piece of shrapnel became lodged in the worker’s eye. Doctors successfully removed the fragment without causing further reported injury.
“We are very fortunate that he was wearing his safety glasses,” Meyers said.
DPW officials credited the worker’s protective eyewear with helping prevent a more severe injury. Employees are trained to wear safety glasses and other protective equipment while collecting and compacting waste.
The worker was transported to a hospital after the explosion. DPW later said he was recovering, although he had not yet returned to work when TMJ4 reported on his condition. His name and further medical details were not released.
Police Investigating How Tanks Entered Waste Stream
The Milwaukee Police Department is investigating the explosion, according to DPW and multiple local reports.
As of publication, police had not publicly identified the person responsible, issued a citation or announced an arrest.
Pressurized cylinders such as oxygen tanks can retain pressure even when they appear empty. When crushed inside a garbage truck, the cylinder or valve can rupture and release stored pressure with enough force to send metal and other debris outward.
City officials said oxygen tanks and other pressurized canisters are not permitted in ordinary residential garbage because of the danger they pose when collection vehicles compact their loads.
Improper disposal can result in fines of up to $5,000, depending on the circumstances. Officials also warned that one improperly discarded cylinder can seriously injure sanitation employees, damage public equipment and place nearby residents at risk.
Second Similar Explosion in Two Years
Meyers said this was the second Milwaukee garbage-truck explosion caused by improperly discarded pressurized tanks in approximately two years.
No injuries were reported in the earlier incident. The July 15 explosion, however, demonstrated how quickly a routine residential collection can become dangerous for workers who cannot see every item concealed inside a garbage cart.
Sanitation crews generally have no practical way to inspect every bag or container before a cart is mechanically lifted and emptied into a truck. Dangerous materials may therefore remain hidden until the truck’s compactor applies pressure.
How Pressurized Cylinders Should Be Disposed Of
Milwaukee officials urged residents never to place oxygen tanks, propane cylinders or other compressed-gas containers in regular garbage or recycling carts.
Confirmed empty cylinders may be accepted at designated disposal or recycling facilities. CBS 58 listed the Milwaukee Self Help Facility, Miller Compressing and Milwaukee County collection facilities among the locations that may accept empty cylinders.
Full, partially full or cylinders with unknown contents require specialized handling and should be taken only to a facility equipped to manage pressurized containers. Residents should contact the facility beforehand to confirm its current acceptance rules.
People using oxygen supplied by a medical-equipment company should also review the supplier’s return instructions before attempting to dispose of a cylinder.
The injured sanitation worker had been performing an ordinary collection route when the concealed tanks exploded. Milwaukee DPW said the incident should remind residents that careless disposal can place workers’ lives and public property in immediate danger.
The police investigation remains active.
For more shocking incidents where careless decisions put innocent people in danger, watch our video here:
