PASADENA – A worker at a Pasadena Salvation Army facility suffered major injuries to his arm Wednesday after getting the limb caught in a conveyor belt, officials said.
The workplace mishap was reported about 11:45 a.m. at the Salvation Army, 35 Waverly Drive, Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
Eleven firefighters and paramedics arrived at the scene within about three minutes and set to work with specialized equipment to free the worker’s arm, she said.
“It took at least a half an hour dismantle the machine,” Derderian said.
Rescuers rendered medical care and provided the man pain medication as they worked, she said. He was described as being in his 30s.
The man suffered “major trauma” to his arm and was taken to an area hospital, fire officials said.
It was not clear if the arm would need to be amputated.
The conveyor belt the man became caught in is used to sort donated clothing in a Salvation Army warehouse, Derderian said.
Representatives of the facility could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.
It was not immediately clear how the accident occurred.
The California Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety and Health will conduct an investigation, she said.
Firefighters rarely deal with such an injury, Derderian said. “This is a very rare situation. A very rare rescue.”

PHOTO courtesy of the Pasadena Fire Department