A worker whose arm became trapped in a conveyor belt at a Massachusetts business had to be surgically removed from the machinery during an unusual rescue that first responders described as a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Fire crews said they received a call around 11 a.m. and arrived to find the worker approximately 10 feet off the ground with his arm caught in the machinery. Video from the scene showed a large team of surgical workers assisting with the rescue as the man was secured in a harness and connected to an IV.
Officials said the worker remained alert, conscious and in good spirits throughout the roughly two-and-a-half-hour rescue.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s a first,” said Westford Fire Chief Michael Denehy. “And with the amount of experience on scene, I’m not the only one that said that. So this isn’t an everyday occurrence. This is a once-in-a-lifetime.”
The man was airlifted to Lahey Clinic with serious injuries and was undergoing surgery Friday evening. Officials said he is expected to recover.
Dr. Robert Ball, a surgeon at Lowell General Hospital under Tufts Medicine, was among the surgeons who assisted at the scene. “Even in kind of a traumatic, chaotic experience, it didn’t feel that chaotic,” Ball said. “It was great to have multiple people looking at this and working toward a safe solution.”
Ball credited first responders for their work to keep the man calm and safe during the lengthy rescue.
Newport Materials operates a quarry that sells aggregates as well as an asphalt manufacturing facility in Westford. According to the company’s website, Newport Materials was formed in 2009.
