Arlington Heights police released bodycam footage Monday showing the explosion of a garbage truck Friday. The blast, which, injured two police officers and a firefighter remains under investigation.
Courtesy of Arlington Heights Police
Video footage from a police officer’s bodycam shows the moment a garbage truck exploded in Arlington Heights Friday, injuring three first responders.
Two police officers and a firefighter were injured in the blast that happened about 4 p.m. on the 500 block of Derbyshire Drive, south of Euclid Avenue.
Arlington Heights police officials said both officers were recovering at home and the firefighter had returned to duty. No other injuries were reported.
A shock wave from the blast caused significant property damage throughout the area and debris from the explosion was located several blocks away.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
However, investigators believe trash in the garbage truck’s hopper fueled the fire, which in turn caused heat to rise to the roof where the vehicle’s compressed natural gas tanks were located.
The heat caused the natural gas to combust, creating the massive blast that was felt thousands of feet away.
It took nearly six hours to clear the debris and reopen streets after the explosion.