Farm worker rescued from silo

Oxfordshire County Council Fire & Rescue Service were called to a farm worker trapped inside a grain silo at Blewbury near Didcot on the afternoon of Wednesday 11 January 2012.

Two fire appliances were quickly  mobilised from Didcot fire station and a Rescue Tender responded from Kidlington. Crews were faced with a male casualty trapped inside the silo which was full of grain.

Station Manager Bob Speakman said “ The man had been working removing grain from inside the silo when he became stuck. The grain acts like quicksand and suddenly he was up to his chest and sinking with the potential for serious life threatening injuries. Fire crews worked alongside Ambulance Service Hazardous Area Response Teams to free the worker in a controlled manner so that he did not suffer further injury”.

The worker was extremely lucky and remained conscious throughout the ordeal.

Station Manager Speakman added: “Although this type of incident is rare and the worker had every right to be there it does highlight that farms can be dangerous places. With this in mind as the weather improves, children playing in and around farm yards for example, should be discouraged.”