Texas man survives tumble into trash compactor

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (AP) - Fire officials in Texas say a man who apparently was sleeping in a dumpster survived when he and the trash in the bin were dumped into a trash truck, compacted and then hauled to a transfer station.

Workers at the transfer station in Wichita Falls saw the man tumble Friday from the truck into a large garbage pit.

Emergency responders had to lower a basket into the pit to retrieve the unidentified man, who appeared to be conscious when rescued and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Officials say the man is in his 60s.

Had workers not seen him fall into the pit, he could have been placed in another compactor before being loaded onto a truck and hauled to a landfill.