San Francisco firefighters rescue man trapped in garbage truck

San Francisco firefighters rescued a man trapped inside a Recology garbage truck early Wednesday morning near the intersection of Mason and Eddy streets. The incident occurred around 4:10 a.m. when a driver emptied a dumpster into the vehicle. The man, who was reportedly searching for food inside the container, was accidentally loaded into the truck along with the refuse.

Bystanders alerted authorities after hearing the man shouting for help from inside the vehicle. According to fire officials, the driver had operated the truck's compactor at least once before realizing someone was trapped. To reach the victim, who was buried under a large pile of debris, 25 firefighters had to manually remove the contents of the truck.

Paramedics were able to reach the man's arm through the trash to administer IV medication while the rescue was underway. After approximately two hours, the conscious man was freed and transported to a hospital. The full extent of his injuries remains unclear, and investigations are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances of the accident.