A Colorado Springs sanitation worker was hospitalized with severe chemical burns Wednesday after being exposed to a sulfuric acid explosion when dumping out a trash bin, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department. 

The 2400 block of North Chelton Road was completely closed for more than three hours as the Fire Department and hazmat crews investigated a liquid-caused explosion that left the sanitation worker at Infinite Disposal in critical condition, officials said.

The department confirmed that sulfuric acid was the cause of the worker’s severe chemical burns after a hazmat crew investigated for over 30 minutes. Sulfuric acid, when combined with liquids like water, can react by causing explosions and fires, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

Sulfuric acid is considered hazardous waste and is not permitted to be disposed of in residential trash routes through most local services, including Infinite Waste. 

Ashley Franco, a fire department spokesperson, said the worker was dumping out a trash bin when a sulfuric acid explosion was triggered, leaving him with severe chemical burns.

The sanitation worker was airlifted to a burn unit at a hospital in Denver after being examined at a local emergency room. The examination concluded the worker had burns covering 60% of his body, Franco said. 

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Franco reminded the community to be mindful of what they dispose of and who it could hurt. 

“Throwing (chemicals) away in your trash can can be harmful to you, your family, sanitation workers, first responders and the community,” Franco wrote on X.