By Brian M. Boyce
Clay County — Nearly a dozen emergency departments and neighboring farmers joined forces Tuesday evening to successfully rescue a man trapped inside a grain bin.
According to information released by the Lewis Township Fire and Clay County Sheriff’s departments, personnel responded to a call for help at Wise Farms on Clay County Road 200 West near Howesville about 6:34 p.m. Tuesday. A man was reported to be trapped inside a grain bin, buried up to his neck in corn.
In addition to the sheriff’s department and Lewis Township Fire and Rescue, units from Jasonville Fire, Clay City Fire, Coal City Fire, Wright Township Fire, Jackson Township Fire, the Hymera Town Marshal, TransCare, and Greene and Sullivan county ambulance departments all assisted, as well as neighboring farmers.
According to a release issued by the sheriff’s department, four firefighters were hospitalized for exhaustion and one for an ankle injury, all sustained while removing the corn and dismantling the bin.
“We want to thank everyone that helped to make this a successful life-saving incident. Most of these types of incidents result in tragedy, but we all saved a life tonight and I do mean all,” Lewis Township Fire Department Captain Bryan Husband stated in a separate release.
Removing the buried man without causing further damage was a complicated procedure, he said.
“When a grain bin rescue is performed and grain has to be removed, it has to be done equally from each side. If you remove the grain from one side and not the other, the weight of the grain can cause the bin to collapse. If you cut too much of the bin’s structure the same thing can occur,” he explained. “Most of the time the grain will crust inside the bin, leaving voids while it is being removed, which causes it to collapse under the weight of someone walking over it, and possibly even trapping rescuers. It has to be an organized process. I can’t say enough about the local farmers and how they support each other and our efforts. They were bringing in equipment to help move the corn as it was being removed. They were there after we left helping pick up what corn could be saved.”
The victim was transported to Terre Haute Regional Hospital for observation. The Clay County Sheriff’s Department had not released his name and no medical condition was available as of Wednesday evening.
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
