Maintenance Worker Crushed by Sanitation Truck Door in St. Pete

Update, 3:45 p.m.: St. Petersburg Police have identified Xuan Van Ho as the victim in Monday morning's sanitration truck accident. 

Police say Ho, 70, is still listed in critical condition at Bayfront Medical Center. His next of kin has been notified.

Earlier: A maintenance worker cleaning a St. Petersburg sanitation truck suffered life-threatening injuries after the truck's rear door shut on him Monday morning.

St. Petersburg Police say the maintenance worker was cleaning out one of the sanitation truck with its rear hydraulic door open. The truck's driver was sitting inside the cab and, believing that the maintenance worker had stepped clear of the door, turned on the hydraulic mechanism to close the door, police said.

The door closed on the worker's upper body, police said, resulting in "severe trauma."

The incident occurred just before 8 a.m. at the City of St. Petersburg Sanitation Compound located at 2501 20 Ave. N.

The worker was transported to Bayfront Medical Center as a trauma alert with life threatening injuries.

Police said the accident is still under investigation, and the sanitation truck in question has been removed from the scene. 

Sign up for the St. Pete Patch email newsletter to get updates to this story and more breaking news delivered to your inbox.