Rescue in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

A 22-year-old Dunnville man had to be hauled out of a 23-metre grain silo on a stretcher after he slipped and injured his leg.

The “complicated” rescue Tuesday took about two and a half hours, ending with a Hamilton firefighter being lowered into the bin and hooking the injured man to a stretcher before a fire department crew slowly hauled the pair to safety.

The worker had been cleaning out the nearly empty bin at Bethune Farms Ltd. on Twenty Road in Glanbrook when he slipped and injured his leg on a moving conveyor belt.

Firefighters first had to cut apart the conveyor belt, which sits at ground level just below the opening at the bottom of the silo. The man’s leg stuck out of the small opening, visible from the exterior as crews freed it.

A rescue worker was then raised to the top of the steel silo with a ladder truck, where he rappelled down to the man.

More than two dozen firefighters were needed for the rescue.

“It was complicated,” said fire information officer Claudio Mostacci. “It was a rope rescue and in a confined space.”

Jim Bethune, owner of the farm, said the injured worker’s name was Frank, but didn’t offer a last name.

The man was conscious and talking throughout the rescue.

“He’s going to be all right,” said Bethune, “nothing life-threatening or anything like that.”

The worker was taken to hospital with what’s believed to be a broken leg or ankle.

The Ontario Ministry of Labour was called to the scene and will be investigating the incident.