Man Severely Injured After Getting Hand Caught In 13,000-Pound Roller

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HOMER CITY, Pa. (KDKA) -- A man suffered a severe injury Tuesday morning in an industrial accident at the Homer City Generating Station in Indiana County.

First responders were first called to the coal-powered generating plant, located along Power Plant Road in Homer City, around 8 a.m.

According to officials, the worker's arm became stuck in a 13,000-pound, coal-crushing roller.

"His arm was the extremity that was trapped. He has severe crush injuries to that. As for the rest of his condition, I'm unsure of. I can say he was flown to a trauma center," said Second Assistant Fire Chief Logan Dellafiora.

A team of his co-workers jumped into action to rescue him from the machine and they are plant-employed first responders, according to Holly Grego, the plant's business operations manager.

"We have a crew of first responders that are employed at the station," she said. "When calls like this are received they are the first ones on the scene to provide care for that individual."

"That was one of their co-workers, you know, someone they see day in and day out. And they're put in a situation where his life's on the line, he's in a situation where-- they probably haven't been trained for that either, you know, 13,000-pound piece of machinery on his arm," Dellafiora said.

The victim was taken to Conemaugh Hospital in Johnstown. His condition has not yet been released.

Operations at the plant were not disrupted.