(UPDATE: April 7 @ 3:40 pm) - The victim of a tragic accident in Penticton on Tuesday morning has succumbed to his injuries.
The Penticton RCMP reported "with deep sadness" that the 52-year-old man has died from the injuries sustained during the tragic incident earlier this week.
"The immediate and extended family are aware of the unfortunate passing," police explained.
"While the Penticton RCMP is continuing to investigate, it does not appear the male was the victim of crime."
The BC Coroners Service is conducting its own parallel fact-finding investigation into the man's untimely death.
The incident happened around 6 am Tuesday as the 52-year-old was sleeping in an unlocked recycling dumpster.
Unfortunately, a recycling truck making its rounds picked up the dumpster, deposited it into the back of the large truck and mechanically compacted the load.
The man was inadvertently crushed in the process, which the driver was alerted to when he heard screaming coming from the back of his truck.
Emergency crews were able to extract the man and he was rushed to hospital, but was unable to recover from his serious injuries.
No further details are available at this time.
(Original story: April 5 @ 4:45 pm) - A man is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after a terrifying incident in Penticton this morning.
According to police, the 52-year-old was sleeping in an unlocked recycling dumpster around 6 am.
Unfortunately, that’s when a recycling truck was making its rounds and collecting materials from dumpsters around the city.
It picked up the dumpster with the man inside, deposited it into the back of the large truck and mechanically compacted the load.
The man was inadvertently crushed in the process, which the driver was alerted to when he heard screaming coming from the back of his truck.
Emergency crews were able to extract the man and he was rushed to hospital for further care.
Penticton RCMP is investigating the tragic incident and are asking anyone with information to call the detachment at 250-492-4300.
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