Wingdale Materials employee rescue from mine shaft a joint effort: Arlington fire chief

Geoffrey Wilson, Poughkeepsie Journal
·2 min read
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A Wingdale Materials employee trapped in the cab of an excavator underground in the company's mine Tuesday is recovering in a hospital after being rescued by first responders.

That's according to Bob Yaremko, assistant vice president at Peckham Industries, which owns Wingdale Materials in eastern Dutchess.

Yaremko said the man, a nine-year employee, "was struck by a large rock that became dislodged from an adjacent area" and became stuck in the excavator around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

A Dutchess County Sheriff vehicle parked at the entrance to WIngdale Materials on December 14, 2021. A worker at this location was trapped in a mine shaft for about 2 hours before being rescued and flown to a local hospital.
A Dutchess County Sheriff vehicle parked at the entrance to WIngdale Materials on December 14, 2021. A worker at this location was trapped in a mine shaft for about 2 hours before being rescued and flown to a local hospital.

Arlington Fire Chief Bill Steenbergh, in a joint statement from his department and the Dover-based J.H. Ketcham Hose Company, said the boulder was estimated to weigh 40 to 50 tons.

Steenbergh said members both departments made contact with the man around 2 p.m., finding him alert but unable to move with the boulder on top of the excavator, a large manually operated construction vehicle with an arm used for digging tunnels and moving materials. Steenbergh said technical rescue technicians from the Arlington, LaGrange and City of Poughkeepsie departments worked together to stabilize the boulder before the man could be removed, which occurred at roughly 3:15 p.m.

An Arlington Fire District vehicle leaves Wingdale Materials on December 14, 2021. A worker at this location was trapped in a mine shaft for about 2 hours before being rescued and flown to a local hospital.
An Arlington Fire District vehicle leaves Wingdale Materials on December 14, 2021. A worker at this location was trapped in a mine shaft for about 2 hours before being rescued and flown to a local hospital.

Steenbergh and other emergency personnel estimated the man was 2,500 feet below ground; Yaremko said the mine is not quite that far underground.

After being extracted, the 40-year-old man was flown by helicopter to Westchester Medical Center. Steenbergh said he suffered non-life-threatening injuries to his legs and a hand. Yaremko said he had spoken with the man, who was resting.

Yaremko said the company is investigating the incident, along with local responding companies and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

"We commend (the worker's) coworkers and the regional emergency services teams for their prompt and professional actions," he said.

Steenbergh said other responding agencies included Dover and Amenia ambulances, the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office and Department of Emergency response, while LifeNet provided the airlift.

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Dutchess responders aid man trapped underground