THE LIGHTER SIDE OF THE INDUSTRY 2285

Taking Out the Garbage

For father and son garbage collectors Gary and Chris Checkan, the day began like any other. Their truck full, the pair stopped for lunch in Rochester, Pa., before heading to the landfill to unload. That was when they spotted 22-year-old Dale Robertson, suspected in the robbery of the nearby Huntington Bank, running by in a mask and hood. Chris jumped out of the truck and chased down Robertson, tackling him from behind. Gary, afraid the suspect had a gun (he didn't), rushed in to help subdue him.

Robertson also is thought to have perpetrated another bank robbery and six Subway shop holdups. The Checkans, who work for Valley Waste of Zelienople, Pa., are being hailed as heroes.

Bet the next day's route seemed awfully dull.

SOURCE: KDKA, Pittsburgh

Cold Cocked

You may think that that moldering, half-eaten burrito you've been carefully neglecting in the break room fridge is no big deal. But you're wrong. Dead wrong.

An office worker in the AT&T building in San Jose, Calif., tried to be a hero and clean the break room fridge. The unplugged refrigerator was packed with rotten lunches. That stench, combined with fumes from the chemicals she was using to scrub the fouled appliance, elicited a call to 911. Firefighters evacuated the building and a hazmat team was summoned. Seven co-workers wound up in the hospital and 28 people had to be treated for vomiting and nausea. Conveniently, the good Samaritan was fine, as her sense of smell had been incapacitated due to allergies.

For God's sake, send those people some baking soda!

SOURCE: Associated Press