A woman in the Fraser Valley was injured when a garbage truck emptied the bin she was likely sleeping in Sunday morning.

Asst. Fire Chief Craig Leighton said the driver discovered the woman in the back of his truck when he reached Abbotsford and saw her via a remote camera.

Crews responded to the driver's call at about 9:40 a.m. PT. Leighton said they extricated the woman from the bin and took her to hospital by ambulance, where she was treated for a broken hip, and "bumps and bruises."

"This woman could very easily have been killed in this case," Leighton said.

"Recommendations would be to help these people find other shelter so they're not having to reside in the dumpsters."

'People are desperate'

Union Gospel Mission spokesperson Jeremy Hunka said it's very common for homeless people to sleep in garbage and recycling bins when the weather gets wet and cold — especially bins with cardboard, which acts as insulation against the elements.

"It's really mortifying to imagine being in that situation," Hunka said.

"But when people are desperate sometimes they make dangerous decisions or they put themselves in dangerous places without even realizing what risk they might be in."

Hunka said the accident is a harsh reminder of how vulnerable homeless people are.

In August, a man in Victoria died after he was found seriously injured in a garbage truck. Police said the truck likely picked him up from a dumpster.

Leighton recommended that dumpster owners lock their bins to keep people out and prevent other hazards like fires, which Leighton said are common.

The company that owns the garbage truck that picked the woman up, Super Save Disposal, refused to comment but said it's conducting an internal investigation into the incident.