A 23-year-old Defiance man was flown to a Toledo hospital Tuesday morning after his leg became caught in a silo sweep grain auger at a Richland Township farm.
Jordan Guyton, 23, of Defiance, was working inside a grain bin at 28474 Flory Road shortly before 10:33 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, when the incident occurred. According to the Defiance County Sheriff’s Office, Guyton was attempting to move remaining grain toward a central floor sump when his lower leg became entangled in the auger.
Deputies arriving on scene found Guyton trapped in the equipment and suffering from a serious entanglement injury. The first deputy to reach him acted quickly, applying a tourniquet to the injured leg to stop the bleeding before rescue crews could begin freeing him from the auger.
Firefighters and rescue personnel from the Jewell, South Richland, and Defiance fire departments responded to assist and were ultimately able to extricate Guyton from the machinery.
Because of the severity of the injury, a Mercy Health Life Flight helicopter was called to the scene and transported Guyton to St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo for further treatment and evaluation. He is reported to be in stable condition.
Sheriff Douglas J. Engel’s office said the investigation into the incident is being handled by the Defiance County Sheriff’s Office, with the press release issued by Lieutenant Brad P. Grillot.
Grain auger entanglement injuries are among the most serious hazards in agricultural work, and emergency responders frequently train for the specialized rescue techniques required to safely free a victim from inside a grain bin.
Information provided by the Defiance County Sheriff’s Office.