By Ray Duckler
The Concord Monitor (New Hampshire)
CONCORD, N.H. — A 49-year-old man who officials believe was homeless and sleeping fell at least 15 feet from a trash bin into the back of a Bestway Disposal truck collecting rubbish early yesterday morning.
The man was transported to Concord Hospital and moved to another facility, according to a hospital spokeswoman. His injuries did not appear life-threatening, said Battalion Chief Guy Newbery of the Concord Fire Department.
Concord firefighters and the police were called to the parking lot of the Rumford Arms Apartments at 250 N. Main St. at 5:03 a.m.
“We arrived to find a green Bestway truck,” said Newbery, who was nearing theof his shift when the call came in. “The driver of the truck confirmed that he had just dumped a guy in the back of the truck. I don’t know if they use a mirror or what, but he become aware of the fact.”
The Concord police would not identify the man.
Bestway referred questions to its human resources director, who was en route to Maine yesterday afternoon and unavailable for comment.
Firefighters used two ladders to climb to the top of the truck. Looking down into the hopper, they saw a man who Newbery described as semi-conscious, his eyes open.
“If there had been a lot of trash he might have gotten compacted, but also a lot of trash might have softened his fall a bit,” Newbery said. “He didn’t have too much to soften his fall, but probably just enough to keep him from getting killed.”
Firefighters strapped the man to a backboard and immobilized his neck, then retrieved his knapsack as well.
“We took care of stabilizing him much like we would with a vehicle accident,” Newbery said.
It was a new experience for the veteran firefighter, who’s been working at the Concord department for 31 years.
“Funny, but the driver said he’s had this happen before, so he was pretty familiar,” Newbery said. “It’s my first one, thankfully. It makes you appreciate having a home to go to.”
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