Emergency responders from throughout Centre County rescued two men who were trapped in a corn bin on Saturday in Spring Township.
Fire, EMS and police were dispatched at about 4:30 p.m. to 1050 Blanchard Street for a report of a man buried up to his head in the bin. Spring Township police arrived first to find one man buried to his knees and another with only his face above the corn, according to a Facebook post by Alpha Fire Company.
While one was helped out without apparent injury, emergency responders worked for about 90 minutes to extricate the man who was buried up to his head.
After first attaching a rope to his wrist in an effort to prevent him from sinking further, crews deployed “The Great Wall of Rescue,” which Alpha described as a specially designed tool for grain bin rescues that surrounds the patient and allows responders to use augers to remove the grain around him.
“Rescuers ran into many challenges, including obstructions, the position of the victim, the heat inside the grain bin, and the condition of the patient,” Alpha wrote. “For a short time, the victim became entirely enveloped by grain, making the situation look grim.”
Crews ultimately were able to remove the corn from around the man and pull him onto the grain pile.
“From there, rescuers had to secure the victim in a harness and perform a high-angle rescue, lifting the victim from the grain bin and lowering him to the ground,” Alpha wrote.
The man was flown by Life Flight helicopter to UPMC Altoona, where he was treated and released on Saturday night.
“Incredible work by all involved who helped to save a life,” Alpha wrote.
The fire company credited a grain bin rescue course offered by Penn State Extension of Centre County five years ago for leading to the implementation of multiple “Great Walls of Rescue” in the county and for preparing emergency responders for this kind of situation.
“Hoping that this training would never be necessary to use, but knowing that it may one day be needed, crews were fortunate to have been prepared for this incident with prior training and the proper equipment, allowing for a favorable outcome,” Alpha wrote.
Spring Township and Bellefonte police, Bellefonte and Mount Nittany Health EMS and Undine, Logan, Citizens Hook and Ladder, Millheim, Miles Township and Alpha fire companies responded to the scene. Walker Township Fire Company established the helicopter landing zone at Lambert Hall.
