Seriously injured

Styrian falls eight meters into silo shaft

The man had sustained serious injuries in the fall.(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr Wagendorf)

While working on a fully opened silo on Wednesday afternoon, a 40-year-old worker in Styria lost his balance and fell eight meters. The man was seriously injured.  

On Wednesday afternoon, a 40-year-old worker in St. Veit in the district of Leibnitz was working at the top of a silo when he suddenly lost his balance and fell around eight meters. As the silo was completely empty at the time, the impact was particularly hard. He sustained serious injuries to his cervical spine, chest and hand. 

The injured man was flown by helicopter to Graz Regional Hospital.(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr Wagendorf)

Emergency services deployed
Fortunately, the landlord of the farm was also on site at the time of the accident and was able to start the rescue chain after the worker called for help.

The scene of the accident: an eight-meter-deep silo shaft(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr Wagendorf)

A total of 30 rescue workers were involved in the rescue operation in St. Veit.(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr Wagendorf)

The Leibnitz, Wagendorf and Labuttendorf volunteer fire departments were involved in the rescue operation with a total of 30 personnel, as well as the Red Cross and the emergency doctor. 

As the operation progressed, the mountain rescue team from the Graz branch was called in with a helicopter from the Ministry of the Interior, as there was no ladder or other means of descent in the empty silo. After initial treatment by the emergency doctor, the injured man was flown by rescue helicopter to Graz Regional Hospital.