A man had his arms amputated in an emergency
procedure after rescuers were unable to free him
from a machine at his workplace, police said
Thursday.
"They made every effort to get him free.
They tried everything," Bristol Officer Pete
Faight said about rescue workers from Bristol and
Bristol Township called to Columbia Lighting Co. on
Beaver Street at about 4:15 p.m. "It was either
die there or get him to a hospital. That's what it
came down to."
The injured man, who police did not identify, is
a Columbia employee.
Rollers used to feed sheet metal into a press
caught the man's arms past his elbows, Bristol Fire
Chief Herb Slack said.
Rescuers using inflatable bags, power and hand
tools and cutting torches were involved in a long
and delicate process taking apart the massive
machine, but they couldn't get to the employee in
time, the chief said.
"The problem with these big, heavy duty,
industrial machines that are used for punching and
rolling steel is that you can't use regular
extrication tools," Slack explained. "You
basically have to take the machine apart and that
takes time."
Slack said employees familiar with the machine
helped in the disassembly, which was tricky because
it had to be done without causing further injury to
the man, the chief said.
Crews were just about two hours into the
procedure when a doctor on scene decided to amputate
the man's arms to save his life, police said. Slack
said rescuers had at least another hour to go before
they would be able to free his arms.
"We were taking the machine apart right up
until the last minute and the doctor decided to take
action," Slack said.
Dr. David Jaslow, a physician affiliated with
Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia who
serves as the medical director for Bucks County's
Technical Rescue Task Force and the Bucks County
Rescue Squad, performed the emergency procedure,
officials said. The man was freed at 6:10 p.m.
Police did not have the man's name at press time,
but Faight said he was in "very critical
condition" at a Philadelphia hospital.
The man was conscious for much of the rescue
work, but was given painkillers for the amputation,
police said.
Faight said nurses from Lower Bucks Hospital
helped the doctor perform the procedure.
Bristol's five fire companies responded as well
as the Edgely and Newportville fire companies from
Bristol Township and the Bucks County Rescue Squad.
Jaslow couldn't be reached for comment Thursday
night.
The company makes commercial and industrial
fluorescent lighting fixtures.
Harry Yanoshak can be reached at
215-949-4203 or hyanoshak@phillyBurbs.com.
