[sperry]

http://www.rgj.com/article/20101004/NEWS/101004015

A Hazmat team is cleaning up a chemical spill in South Reno after a Waste Management employee was burned this morning while collecting trash.

At around 8:09 a.m., the employee emptied several trash cans into a garbage truck in the 10000 block of Crystal Bay Drive and began to compact it when he heard a pop, followed by a chemical spray that burned his skin, City of Reno spokesperson Michele Anderson said. The employee was transported to an area hospital to be treated. The severity of his injuries was unknown, but Anderson said he is 'doing okay.'

The Washoe County Health Department is also at the scene, and will continue the investigation to determine what kind of chemical it was and where it came from, Anderson said. Investigators have narrowed the chemical's source to about 4 homes on the street, she said.

Investigators determined only that the chemical was an acidic liquid, and they were using a stabilizing agent to neutralize it. Hazmat crews were also working on moving the garbage truck from the scene, Anderson said.

Check back later for more details as they become available.

Who the hell is throwing out dangerous containers full of acid in Double Diamond!?! Someone's going to be in a metric shitton of trouble.