Garbage truck slams into Temple City townhouse, causes gas leak

TEMPLE CITY, Calif. (KABC) -- A Temple City couple escaped a terrifying crash when a garbage truck slammed into their townhouse Thursday morning.

The garbage truck left a path of destruction in the 6100 block of Rosemead Boulevard after it struck a parked minivan and then the home shortly before 6 a.m.

Elizabeth Gonzalez, the building manager, said the two tenants are OK but stressed over what happened.

"It was awful because we had a gas leak, water damage. It was pretty bad," she said.

Los Angeles County deputies said the driver of the truck was stuck in the mangled cab for more than 30 minutes while natural gas was leaking from the home.

Rescue crews were able to get the driver out, and although he suffered no major injuries, he was transported to a hospital.

Deputies were investigating what caused the crash, including whether the driver had a medical condition or fell asleep at the wheel.

Neighbors said they believe the driver first struck a curb.

"Every time we come home... a lot of people hit that, and they would have a flat tire," one woman said.

Crews red-tagged the townhouse, meaning the home is not safe to reside in. As for repair costs, deputies believe the crash caused about $100,000 worth of damage.