Rescue crews respond to man trapped in grain bin

On April 12, Williamsburg County Fire Department was alerted that someone had fallen into a grain bin on the 5000 block of Thurgood Marshall Hwy., near the intersection with Sam Brown Road.

According to William Horton with the Williamsburg County Fire Department, the person entered the grain bin to assist with unloading soybeans from the bin and sunk into them. When firefighters arrived on scene he was submersed to his armpits, but was still able to breathe on his own. A strap was immediately placed around his chest and under his arms to keep him from sinking further into the grain during rescue efforts. He was given intravenous fluids and oxygen to keep him hydrated and breathing better in the dusty environment.

“They built a box around the patient with interconnecting panels and removed the grain, or beans, around him with a small auger. As the grain was removed, the box was slowly moved down to release the grain’s hold on the stuck individual. The process needs to be done slowly, unless the patient is in great distress, to keep from taking away all of the pressure on the body at once. If this happens a number of medical issues can happen,” says Horton.

After more than three hours, the patient was pulled from the grain bin. He was treated by Williamsburg County EMS and was transported to McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence by AirReach air ambulance. The patient was reported to be in stable condition.

Around 30 individuals assisted in the rescue. Kingstree Fire Department provided firefighters and a ladder truck during the rescue and Clarendon County Fire Rescue provided grain bin rescue equipment and firefighters with expertise grain bin rescue. Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office was also on the scene.

“We probably would not have had the safe outcome without their help,” says Horton.

This is only the second grain bin incident in Williamsburg county, that Horton can remember. The last one was more than 30 years ago, also with a good outcome.

“Grain bins can certainly be dangerous if you don’t use precautions,” says Horton. Other occurrences in surrounding counties over the last several years have not had the same positive outcome.

Williamsburg County has now ordered equipment necessary for this type of rescue and firefighters will be trained as soon as the equipment arrives.