"I Have My Arm Cut Off, Ma'am": Man Calls 911 After Industrial Accident

After losing part of his arm in a machinery accident on Wednesday, a 52-year-old employee of Alamo Concrete was able to extricate himself from a conveyor belt and call 911 to save his life.

The man, whose name has not been released, was caught when his sleeve was snared in a machine at the concrete plant. He was stuck for 15 minutes before he could free himself, and a spokesman for Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services said it was unclear whether the man cut his own arm to escape or whether it was cut off by the machinery.

After freeing himself, he made it into the plant office at 13101 Ballerstedt Road near Manor and called 911 around 4:45 a.m. He was taken to a hospital, where he was in critical but stable condition on Wednesday.

Officials released a recording of the 911 call on Wednesday, where the man begins by giving the company's address and phone number, then blurting out: "I have my arm cut off, ma'am. I have my arm cut off."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident. According to OSHA records, the Alamo Concrete plant has not been investigated for safety hazards in the past five years.

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By Jeff Beckham in News on January 3, 2008 1:05 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

petro

The sound of terror in this poor mans voice is going to haunt me forever. Thank you Austinist.

Stan D Payne

Kind of Hemingway-esque, wouldn't you say?

Y'know -- a farewell to arm.

kenneth1

Yes, it does. It also reattaches them, provided you have insurance. Those who don't leave their fate to the whims of "The Market." He doesn't like lazy scofflaws lying around hospital rooms with bandages on their arm stumps.

chet lemon

Capitalism cuts off arms?

kenneth1

Paul would never be elected, but there are still a buttload of Repubs who agree with his "No government intrusion. Let the markets rule" mantra. This is what happens when you do that.