A farmer became 'buried up to his neck' in a terrifying grain bin accident.
WTVF described it as a race against time after a farmer found himself buried up to the neck in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Per the outlet, the farmer survived, thanks to quick work from first responders, who said these kinds of accidents are often fatal.
Images captured rescuers at work within the grain bin, working frantically to liberate the man from the huge mound of corn. Rescuers compared it with being caught in quicksand.
“It's a force that pulls you down and collapses down on top of you at the same time and puts an immense amount of pressure on your body,” first responder Tyler McDow told WTVF.
First responders used ropes to rappel down into the bins, and once inside, they found the farmer nearly buried alive.
“The initial call we got was buried to his neck. He was covered to just right below his mouth,” McDow told the outlet's reporters.
According to WTVF, another inch or two and the farmer would have suffocated.
The farmer was conscious and breathing when crews started installing something known as a Great Wall Device, hammering it down around his body to hold the loose corn back. Then, a vacuum was used to remove the corn until the man was finally free. After, he was removed through an emergency side access door in the bin and determined to be unharmed.
Per the outlet, first responders were gratified by their success, considering that many similar incidents end tragically. First responders said they train for these kind of rescues with equipment like the specialized Grain Bin Rescue Truck, often paid for by donations from farmers themselves.
“In a business where we have a lot of losses, it's good to have a win. I'm proud of everybody,” McDow told the station.