Contra Costa Times
SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Santa Rosa firefighters rescued a man whose hand was trapped in machinery in an industrial accident Wednesday evening.
Emergency crews responded to the manufacturing company ITT BIW Connectors System, at 500 Tesconi Circle, around 6 p.m. and found a 29-year-old employee with his left hand trapped in a large industrial hydraulic press used to manufacture components for the oil industry, fire officials said.
Responders used rescue tools to release pressure from the hydraulic press and free the man’s hand.
The man suffered significant injuries from being crushed as well as third-degree burns to his hand and forearms caused by the heat the machine generates under pressure, fire officials said.
He was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for initial treatment and transferred to the burn center at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco due to the severity of his injuries.
A co-worker was taken to Sutter Hospital for minor burns he sustained when he attempted to help the trapped man before the arrival of emergency crews.
It was not immediately known whether the incident was caused by mechanical failure or employee error, firefighters said.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health was notified of the accident.
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