Mary Huber
Austin American-Statesman
AUSTIN, Texas — A ride on a mechanical bull at a Sixth Street bar turned gruesome Saturday night when a man got his foot caught in the machinery underneath the device and had to be rescued by firefighters, witnesses said.
The incident happened at around 12:43 a.m Saturday at the Buckwild bar at 310 East Sixth St., Austin-Travis County EMS officials said.
One of the witnesses, Mike Drake, said he was out with a group of friends, including the victim, who was visiting Austin. He said his friend decided to ride the mechanical bull and somehow got his foot caught in a piston underneath the chassis of the mechanical bull.
“I don’t think anyone expected it,” he said. ”(The bar staff) were genuinely confused as to how to get him out.”
Staff shut off the music and the Austin Fire Department came and cleared the bar, he said.
Drake said firefighters had to use hydraulic rescue tools, the Jaws of Life, to disassemble the bull and save his friend. He said his group waited outside for about 45 minutes until their friend was freed and taken to the hospital.
“Everyone was very concerned,” Drake said.
Medics said they took the man, who is 27, to Dell Seton Medical Center and that his injuries — which included a deep gash in his left shin all the way to the bone — were serious but not expected to be life-threatening.
The Buckwild bar said Saturday it was not able to comment on the incident.
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