Man's Leg Ripped Off In Elevator Accident

[bloodrayne]

Man Dies In Mishap At Elevator

Treaty, Indiana - A rural Wabash man was fatally injured Wednesday morning when he got his leg caught in an auger at the Treaty Elevator.

The man, Danny Cecil, 57, was pronounced dead at Wabash County Hospital at 11:08 a.m., despite extraordinary efforts to save his life.

The accident occurred shortly after 9:45 a.m. and was unseen by other employees. The accident occurred in a fairly remote area of the elevator grounds, among the silos.

Cecil, according to Major Mike Shrider of the Wabash County Sheriff's Department, was working at a horizontal, 12-inch auger.

Investigators were left to guess as to whether Cecil removed the cover to the auger or whether it slipped off. Whichever, his left leg was caught and torn off.

Cecil was mobile enough to get to a place where he could summon help. Among those coming to his assistance was Clarence Rathbun of nearby North Central Co-op, who is a Noble Township fireman-first responder.

He and others properly applied a tourniquet, Shrider said.

A Samaritan helicopter from Fort Wayne was summoned but, because of weather, had to turn back.

With Sheriff's Sgt. Randy Miller driving the Wabash Fire Department ambulance (leaving both fire department paramedics to work on Cecil) the vehicle sped to Wabash County Hospital. Radioed ahead, city and state police units had all the key intersections clear.

Cecil was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

As Cecil's death was the result of an industrial accident an OSHA inspector was routinely called in to investigate.

Assisting the sheriff's department at the scene or in the city were city and state police, the LaFontaine-Liberty Township Fire Department, the LaFontaine town marshal, the Wabash County Emergency Management Agency and the Wabash Fire Department.