A routine trash run on Milwaukee's north side turned dangerous Monday when an explosion inside a city garbage truck left a sanitation worker hospitalized with an eye injury and a concussion. The blast happened near N. 9th Street and Abert Place and sent fragments flying through the truck's hopper after medical oxygen cylinders ruptured as the compactor blade started moving, according to city crews.
Rick Myers, sanitation services manager for the Department of Public Works, told WISN that once the crew engaged the packing blade, pressure built up around the discarded oxygen cylinders and "that pressure caused an explosion." Myers said two oxygen tanks exploded and two more were recovered intact from the hopper. The injured worker was taken to a hospital and remains under care while Milwaukee police continue their investigation.
Why Pressurized Cylinders Are Hazardous
Compressed-gas cylinders can become dangerous projectiles when crushed, turning routine compaction into something that feels a lot more like a small industrial accident. The City of Milwaukee warns that propane and gas cylinders should never go into curbside garbage or recycling because they are "very dangerous in the trucks and at the Materials Recovery Facility."
Municipal programs generally advise returning medical oxygen bottles to the supplier or using designated hazardous-waste collection events instead of tossing them in household trash. For an example of supplier-return guidance, see Montgomery County, which instructs residents to work directly with medical providers on oxygen cylinder disposal.
City Response and Enforcement
The Department of Public Works said crews secured the scene and that Milwaukee police are investigating, according to WISN. City officials reminded residents that pressurized canisters, including oxygen and propane tanks, are not allowed in regular trash. Improper disposal can carry penalties, and fines can reach up to $5,000.
DPW also urged residents to work with their medical-supply companies instead of trying to toss out old equipment. The department said those companies are required to reclaim oxygen cylinders from patients rather than leaving them to end up in curbside carts.
How To Keep Cylinders Out of the Truck
If you or someone you care for uses oxygen, call your medical supplier for pickup or return instructions and keep cylinders out of your curbside cart. They do not belong in household trash, no matter how empty they look.
For propane and disposable gas cylinders, the city directs residents to use the City of Milwaukee Drop Off Centers or the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District's Home Hazmat collection events, run by MMSD, and to follow posted rules and hours.
If you find discarded cylinders, avoid touching them and report them to the city's 311 service at 414-286-CITY or contact DPW directly so trained crews can remove them safely.
