A rescue lasting more than 2 and half hours played off in the Alberton area Wednesday morning at 08h00. A worker at a cement company got his hand stuck in a machine about 10 meters above ground level. Exact details of why the man stuck his hand into the machine will remain a subject for investigation.
Firemen arrived with the Hydraulic platform and their high angle rescue team within minutes of receiving the call.
Quickly two men were hoisted up to the patient and a rescue stared in earnest. After all attempts were made to free the man from the machine they had to resort to using an angle girder to cut away some of the metal around the man’s hand.
This was a very delicate operation and the metal had to be cooled at regular intervals to prevent the patient from being burnt. Once the worker was freed, it was ascertained that he had sustained serious lacerations to all the fingers. Firemen then lowered him to the ground where a ambulance was standing by to transport him to the Netcare Union hospital for the treatment that he required.
