Man crushed in refuse lorry may have climbed into wheelie bin to seek shelter

Gardaí investigating the discovery of a dead Eastern European man at a waste recycling plant suspect he may have climbed into a commercial wheelie bin to escape rain on Thursday night.

Officers said the bin was emptied into a refuse lorry during a collection on Friday morning and believe the man died from crush injuries caused by the compression of waste inside the truck. However, they were waiting last night for the results of a full autopsy being carried out by assistant State pathologist Michael Curtis.

Detectives described the death as “very tragic” and believe the man, in his early 40s, may have been homeless and seeking shelter.