Arabic version: إنقاذ عامل من صومعة حبوب في وسط فيكتوريا

According to ABC News, a man in his 60s was rescued after becoming trapped in a grain silo at GrainCorp’s Dunolly facility in central Victoria last week. He was flown to Bendigo Health for observation and released the following day.

Emergency services were called to the Thompson Street site at about 3.30pm last Tuesday after workers were unable to free the man. The hours-long operation involved the CFA’s Bendigo-based Oscar One Technical Rescue Brigade, local CFA crews, Fire Rescue Victoria, Victoria Police, the SES and Ambulance Victoria.

Oscar One brigade captain Karl Shay said the worker was distressed and in pain after grain pushed his leg onto a bracket from an auger running through the bottom of the silo. The silo was about 10 per cent full, and the man was trapped above his knee.

Rescuers built a barrier around the man using metal barricades, corrugated iron and road signs before removing grain from inside the protected area. Mr Shay said crews needed to avoid triggering further grain collapse while creating enough space to free him.

The incident was declared safe at 7:08pm. CFA commander Hugh Kelly said the outcome showed the importance of cooperation among emergency services. A WorkSafe investigation remains ongoing, while GrainCorp has been contacted for comment.