'Significant' Garbage Truck Explosion Captured in Dramatic Doorbell Video: 'All of a Sudden, Boom!'

Mar. 15, 2025

Shocking doorbell camera footage has captured the moment a garbage truck exploded and injured a firefighter and two police officers in Illinois on Friday, Dec 6.

It showed a street in the quiet residential area moments before the unexpected blast filled the sky with a plume of gray smoke as debris was scattered.

The first responders were transferred to the hospital as a result of the flying debris and post-blast concussion but their injuries were non-life threatening, the release added.

As of Monday both officers were recovering, and the firefighter had returned to duty, local authorities stated, perNBC News.

Garbage truck explosion in Arlington Heights.ABC 7 Chicago/Youtube

ABC 7 Chicago/Youtube

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Dashcam video from inside a police car showed debris “raining down” into the street, perCBS News.

The police also told the outlet that homes in the vicinity were damaged with roofs blown off and windows shattered.

Paul and Sue Duchek — who live about 200 feet from the explosion — toldABC7 Eyewitness Newsthat smoke was visible before the blast at their home.

“All of a sudden, boom! It just, it just came upon us,” Paul said.

“It made me literally drop, and I was on the phone with a client, and phone went out, and my client was trying to call me back, couldn’t,” Sue added, per the outlet.

Arlington Heights Fire Department personnel “aggressively attacked and contained the fire,” before a heavy-duty wrecker arrived at 7:15 p.m. to remove the garbage truck, per the police.

Though the cause of the blast is still under investigation, a “working theory” involves “uncontrolled combustion within the truck’s garbage collection hopper wherein surrounding trash provided fuel to the fire, according to NBC.

Arlington Heights Fire Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for information.

source: people.com