A six-year-old boy narrowly avoided losing his arm after he got trapped in an industrial MEAT MINCER – for FOUR hours.
George L’Estrange slipped and had his right arm dragged between the whirling razor-sharp blades of the machine while making sausages at his home.
Two fire crews rushed to the scene of the horror accident in Donnington, Lincs., on March 3.
After unsuccessfully trying all the tools at their disposal – including an electric saw, a pedal cutter, and specialist cutting equipment – firemen were forced to turn to a local businessman Danny Roberts.
Tradesman Danny, 27, rushed to his nearby shop and returned with two specialist angle grinders.
Firemen then attempted to cut through the metal – just inches from George’s skin – while sparks flew close to flammable oxygen being given to the brave youngster.
After a gruelling four-and-a half hour battle involving fire-fighters, surgeons, paramedics, nurses and even an anaesthetist – George was finally freed and transferred to Pilgrim Hospital.
Medics there feared he would lose his hand and forearm but after a three-hour operation the youngster escaped missing just part of his middle finger.
George has since undergone nine gruelling operations to complete skin grafts and reattach severed tendons.
And this week the courageous schoolboy returned to classes.
Relieved dad Henry, 44, an IT worker, said yesterday (Wed): “Everything happened so quickly. I’m a keen cook, and have made sausages with my sons on a number of occasions.
‘George had been using the machine safely for some time, but in the blink of an eye he pushed his hand in and got it stuck.
“I called 999 and the man on the end of the phone gave me advice on making George as comfortable as possible, while waiting for the ambulance and fire service.”
Technical CFP manager at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, Keiron Davey added: “George was so brave.
“Despite having obviously painful injuries, he remained completely calm throughout the process.
“He only cried when he was given an anaesthetic injection.
“This rescue was an excellent example of fire-fighters utilising all their skills and knowledge to the absolute supreme degree – thinking outside the box, adapting and improvising.
“There were some professionally calculated high risks taken at times and this resulted in an excellent outcome.
“At one time I counted 15 people around George’s hospital bed.
“Everyone played a crucial part – from nurses filling syringes with saline, to assisting in reducing sparks and dust whilst cooling the metal.
“The surgical team, the anaesthetist, the paramedic – the list goes on.
“It was truly good, professional teamwork.”
