Durban - An employee at a ready-mix concrete business escaped death on Monday after being trapped for more than an hour in a silo filled with sand and stones in Phoenix Industrial Park.
The man had climbed into the silo to clear rubble that had been jamming a conveyor belt when he apparently slipped and fell inside. A piece of metal saved him from being completely submerged. He was able to make a cellphone call to his boss.
Paramedics and fire crews rushed to the scene to rescue the man while workers tried to lift up the silo using a heavy duty crane in an attempt to offload it. The drama unfolded at a concrete mixing company in Aberdare Drive.
A source said the man was told to clear rubble that was stopping the conveyor from working. However he pressed a switch by mistake and this activated the mixer, sinking him into the mix.
The spokesman for security company Reaction Unit South Africa, Prem Balram, said when they arrived they saw the man’s leg sticking out from a section in the silo.
“Workers stated that seven tons of sand and stone were lying on top of the victim. Employees only realised that he was trapped after the conveyor on the silo jammed.”
Rescuers initially considered using a crane with heavy duty chains to tilt the silo, but due to the excessive weight and the danger of injuring rescuers, an alternative solution had to be found.
According to Balram, paramedic Gary Paul of Netcare 911 climbed into the silo and removed sand and stone for almost an hour from around the victim with his bare hands to try to free him.
“Rescuers’ hopes of saving the victim diminished after a vast time had lapsed, however to everyone’s surprise the victim called his manager from his cellphone to inform him that he was alive,” Balram said.
eThekwini Fire and Emergency Department’s divisional commander for northern areas, Bruce de Gier, said the man had been submerged in the large container for 45 minutes when they decided to use the jaws of life and a plasma torch to cut a hole in the side of the silo.
“The plan worked and helped rescuers get access to the victim. He was rescued after one-and-a-half hours,” De Gier said.
Balram said the trapped victim surprisingly sustained only minor injuries. A support brace was placed around his neck.
“Once some of the rubble drained from the hole, they noticed that the victim was in a seated position under a narrow piece of metal.
“The metal prevented sand and stone from covering his head. This allowed him to breathe,” Balram said. “The victim was in a severe state of shock.”
The concrete mixing company could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
Daily News