By Cory Shaffer
cleveland.com
MEDINA TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Emergency crews rescued a man who was buried up to his chest in corn inside a grain silo at a Medina Township farm on Tuesday afternoon.
The Medina Fire Department first responded to the farm around 2:12 p.m.
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Given the complexity of the situation, specialized rope and confined space crews from the Medina County All-Hazards Team were also called to the scene.
When crews arrived, they found the man alert but unable to move, buried in corn up to his chest. Officials said grain entrapments can quickly become dangerous because the weight of the material prevents movement, and attempts to remove it often cause more grain to shift back into place.
Firefighters from Engine 2 entered the bin through a side door and secured the man with a rescue sling to keep him from sinking deeper. Paramedics from the Medina Life Support Team began treating him at the same time.
Rescue crews then assembled a grain rescue sleeve — a specialized device used to contain the grain and allow it to be removed from around a victim. Once the corn was cleared below the man’s waist, crews were able to free him, place him on a stretcher and lift him safely out of the bin.
The man was transferred to a medical helicopter operated by Cleveland Clinic Critical Care Air Medical and flown to a trauma center. Officials said he has since been released from the hospital.
No other injuries were reported.
Multiple agencies assisted in the rescue, including firefighters from Brunswick Hills, the Medina Township Police Department, the Medina County Sheriff’s Office and several regional fire departments and emergency management teams.
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