Medic engulfed by grain during Arkansas grain bin rescue

ETOWAH, Ark. (WMTV/KAIT) - A medic helping a man who was trapped in an Arkansas grain bin for hours needed to be rescued, as well, after being consumed by the grain. While the original victim was treated at the scene and released, the rescue worker’s injuries required him to be flown to a hospital in the area.

Osceola (Ark.) Fire Chief Peter Hill explained the first victim fell into the bin, which is located in Mississippi Co., Arkansas, around 9 a.m. Emergency crews arrived about 15 minutes later, they found people were trying to get him out and the man “was trapped pretty much to his neck,” training officer Bud Gore continued, while describing how important it was to get him free as quickly as possible.

“The grain is constantly putting pressure on the victim,” he pointed out. “It makes it harder for them to breathe. Every time they move, it just keeps crashing down on them, so we must get that grain off there as quick we can.”

Rescue workers used steel plates to alleviate the pressure on the man, who was reported to be awake and talking when they found him. Crews also cut into the bin to lower the level and a vacuum truck was brought in lower the grain level even further.

Getting him out took about three hours and, it was in that process, the medic was injured. He was tending to the man who fell in when he became engulfed by the grain. It took his fellow rescue workers about ten minutes to get him back out. He ended up being airlifted to Memphis, about 50 miles away, with injuries that were not considered life threatening.

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