FLORENCE, Ky. -- Rescuers rappelled into an asphalt silo Saturday morning to remove a worker who was trapped.
The worker was inside the silo at Riegler Blacktop on Weaver Road when he fell, and a large chunk of asphalt landed on him.
The asphalt pinned his leg and he couldn't get out.
The man was conscious and talking with first responders on his cell phone at first but later went in and out of consciousness.
A medical helicopter took him to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment.
Kelly Aylor, Florence Fire Chief, said the confined space of the silo combined with the weight of the chunk of asphalt made this rescue mission extremely difficult.
"The main thing we want to do is make sure we don’t cause him more harm in the process,” Aylor said. “They had to put people on top of the tower with ropes. We had to lower some of our people down in there."
Aylor also said the rescue team is comprised of several agencies throughout Northern Kentucky, and they train specifically on how to handle these types of rescues.
