Firefighters Rescue Oregon Man Stuck In Steel Mill

PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland firefighters have managed to free a 40-year-old man who had been trapped between a stack of plate steel and a rolling crane at Oregon Steel Mills.

Fire Lt. Allen Oswalt says a technical rescue team and more than 25 firefighters responded Thursday evening. Firefighters worked with mill personnel to move several tons of steel while fire medics provided life support to the trapped man.

The unidentified man was flown to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in critical condition.

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Permalink Reply by Doug on January 8, 2010 at 12:57pm

I'd like to expand up this, and hopefully others will want to discuss it as well.

I used to work in a steel mill. The mill I worked at housed large 35,000 to 75,000 lb coils, as well as structural building steel, flat bar, re-bar, angle and I beans from 3" all the way up to 48" of various lengths from 20' to over 60', all stacked 15 to 20' in the air. I've witnessed several accidents, thankfully none as serious as this story, and even more close calls which could have ended worse than this story. The mill I worked at wasn't in my response areas 1st due, but my employers at this mill, knowing I was a firefighter and emt, put me in charge of shop floor safety. I attended a couple safety meetings yearly with the higher-ups and Big Wigs of the company, and I was present when the FD, whose 1st due area it was, would come by for their yearly inspection. What struck me, and I knew this, and the firefighters knew this, was how closely we(the employees of the steel mill and the firefighters) would have to work together if something tragic ever occurred there.

If you live near or respond to industrial sites get to know the guys at these mills and manufacturing plants when you do your yearly inspection or familiarization walk through. And if you don't, make it a point to in this new year. Ask the guys what their specialties are, if they can run a crane, if they can weld or operate a cutting torch. They can very well help you help them. And believe me, they are very good at what they do.