Emergency crews remove teenager from machine on W. Mich. farm
by Logan Crawford
Tuesday, August 30th 2016
Emergency crews remove teenager from machine on W. Mich. farm
VICKSBURG, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - For the second time in just over a year, emergency crews are called out to a West Michigan company.
Right now, a teenager is in the hospital after getting stuck while cleaning a corn silo at H&H Feed and Grain.
We're told he is expected to recover.
The South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority arrived at H&H Feed and Grain Monday to pull a teen out of a corn silo.
He was cleaning the silo, when he got his leg stuck in a conveyer belt.
"Pretty quickly out of it. He stayed conscious throughout the whole thing, he talked to us through the whole issue. And we got him out without any further harm," said Chief Tracy McMillan, with the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority.
This is not the first time tragedy has struck at this company. Just 1 year ago, there was another accident. That one ended more tragically, as a worker died.
In July 2015, Marcos Fonseca was killed on site at H&H. Authorities say the 31-year-old was looking at a new office being built, when he stepped down to a lower platform, and fell 15 feet.
"There's no criminal indication in this investigation. We have an accident that's very unfortunate," said Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Paul Matyas.
The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined H&H for Fonesca's death. The citation was for employees not using fall protection. H&H paid $2,100 for the incident.
MIOSHA spokespeople say they are not currently aware or investigating Monday's incident.
According to MIOSHA:
"Employers are required to report injuries to MIOSHA only if the injury resulted in an amputation, an in-patient hospitalization or the loss of an eye."
"There was initial treatment on-scene for the injury, and then he was taken to Bronson hospital for further treatment," Chief McMillan said.
We asked the owners of H&H to talk about the incident, but they said they had no comment.
MIOSHA also cited H&H in 2014 for an "other-than-serious" citation for hazard communication, following a complaint.