MILWAUKEE — A Department of Public Works sanitation worker is calling on Milwaukee residents to be more careful about what they put in the trash, more than a month after an oxygen tank hidden in a recycling bin exploded and injured his trainee.
Related | New 911 audio details oxygen tank blast that injured Milwaukee DPW worker
Curtis Phipps has worked as a sanitation worker for the City of Milwaukee for years. On July 15, he was training a new DPW employee when the explosion happened.
"When we were recycling, I looked and before I could get around to and stop him, 'boom' it blew up," Phipps said.
The blast sent debris flying and knocked his trainee to the ground.
"You know I saw my partner he was on the ground and you know after I was starting to realize we just got blown up… I saw him and there was debris everywhere, smoke still in the air," Phipps said.
Despite being dazed himself, Phipps called 9-1-1.
The injured worker had only just started his job with DPW at the time of the explosion.
"That was his second day, second or third day, He was a new guy I was training him," Phipps said. "He was doing well he enjoyed it, and all of the sudden bang."
Phipps said he has since spoken to the injured worker and that he is doing fine. DPW confirmed the worker has not yet returned to work.
Phipps said he still thinks about that day often and wants residents to take the incident as a warning.
"I just want it to be known that this is what happens, I know it wasn't done maliciously but it happened and a lot of people don't know what they can and can't put in. Just to let you all know, c'mon, no tanks please," Phipps said.
DPW maintains a list of items that cannot be disposed of in household trash, including tanks, batteries, and hazardous materials.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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