WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, March 10, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A homeless man and woman sleeping in a dumpster in West Valley City were nearly crushed Thursday morning when the container was suddenly emptied into the back of a sanitation truck.
The incident happened at about 5:35 a.m. and involved a dumpster outside a Petco at 3637 S. 2700 South.
The man, who was reportedly buried deep in the trash, took about 45 minutes to be freed by a heavy rescue unit. “His arm was broken,” Sgt. Jason Vincent, WVCPD, told Gephardt Daily. “He was transported to IMC for treatment.”
Vincent said the two were likely just trying to find shelter from the cold. Temperatures fell to 27 degrees last night, according to online records.
Vincent said shelters are available, and he hoped the two would find a safer place to sleep in the future.
“It’s unfortunate,” he said of the incident. “There are plenty of places out there.”
