The quick actions of a Riversdale farmer and farm workers has saved the life of a man who was trapped in a grain silo.
A man in his 60s, an electrical contractor, was working inside the silo when it's believed he became submerged in the grain, cutting off his ability to breathe.
He was transported by the Otago Rescue Helicopter to Dunedin Hospital emergency department yesterday in a serious condition.
Riversdale Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer David Stevenson said it was "quite stressful''.
"Six or seven guys managed to get his head above [the grain]. They got him to the point he could breathe,'' Mr Stevenson said.
"He was just very lucky that the farmer was there. If they weren't there, it would have been all over.
"The survival rate is not very good I'm told. He's a very, very lucky man.''
Mr Stevenson said the man was conscious but "a bit incoherent'' when firefighters got there. It took about an hour to free him by digging him out.
"If we didn't have man power there, we wouldn't have saved his life,'' he said.
The Otago Daily Times understands the electrical contractor may have been standing on top of the grain when the incident happened.
Four people were transported by ambulance to Gore Hospital in a minor to moderate condition suffering from dust inhalation.
Two of the people were emergency services staff, Mr Stevenson said.
St John communications adviser South Island Ian Henderson said the man was "trapped up to his chest'' when emergency services staff arrived.
Four other people "overcome with fumes'' from dust and were treated on site by ambulance staff, Mr Henderson said.
Fire Service shift manager Brent Dunn said emergency services were alerted to the incident in Nine Mile Rd near Riversdale at 9.49am.
Firefighters from Riversdale, Gore and Balfour attended.
Senior Sergeant Ian Temple, of Dunedin, said police attended the incident and assisted firefighters with the rescue.
