A trash truck picking up its usual route in Spring ran into an unexpected problem Saturday morning—a chemical spill that led to a hazmat response and sent one worker to the hospital.
Recommended Videos
Around 10:30 a.m., The Woodlands Fire Department (TWFD) was called to Saddlebrook Lane to assist the Spring Fire Department after reports of a fire involving a trash truck. When crews arrived, they discovered it wasn’t a fire but a chemical reaction.
Turns out, a container of muriatic acid—commonly used for cleaning and pool maintenance—had been unknowingly tossed into the garbage. Firefighters say once the trash truck compacted the load, the container burst, releasing fumes that looked like smoke.
Hazmat crews responded, and one employee from the trash company had to be decontaminated before being taken to the hospital for observation.
Officials are reminding residents that hazardous materials like acids, paints, and chemicals should never be thrown away in household trash.
Firefighters from TWFD’s Engine 107, Engine 102, Hazmat 102, and Battalion 102 all assisted with the call.
