Crews Free Worker from Auger at Charcoal PlantCrews Free Worker from Auger at Charcoal Plant

Crews from several fire departments responded to the Royal Oak Charcoal plant in Branson, MO early Thursday morning after a worker became trapped in an auger, Western Taney County Fire Protection District said in a Facebook post. 

More than 20 firefighters were dispatched to the site at about 5 a.m. Personnel worked for nearly three hours to free the worker. 

“The extrication was complicated due to the size of the machine, the charcoal that was still in the bin, and the injuries to the victim. Rescuers used standard hand tools, cutting equipment, saws, and airbags during the operation,” the fire protection district said. 

The 29-year-old man was freed from the machinery and transported to an area hospital at about 8 a.m., according to coverage by Springfield, MO-based KSPR. An official with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) told the television news station that an investigation has been opened into the incident. 

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