Man's leg amputated in elevator accident - Strong City
By Bobbi Mlynar (Contact)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - Emporia Gazette

Justin Lee, 37, of Strong City was flown to a Wichita hospital this morning after receiving critical injuries to his legs in an accident at a grain elevator in Strong City.

One of Lee's legs was taken off below the knee in the accident, and the other was severely injured.

Chase County Sheriff Richard Dorneker said that Lee was working around the augur, while grain was being dumped into a chute and carried up into the storage bins.

Dorneker said that he has not been able to talk to Lee about the accident yet, but information has been pieced together from people at the scene.

"Apparently he stepped up under the side of the tray and was trying to motion to the driver ... to lift the bed," Dorneker said.

Lee apparently slipped off the side and slid into the area where the augurs meet and the U-joints come together.

"And he sustained significant critical injuries to his legs," Dorneker said.

Chase County Emergency Medical Services workers took Lee to Emporia, where they were met by a Emporia-Lyon County emergency medical crew with equipment to handle advanced life support transfers.

The Emporia crew took Lee to the Emporia Municipal Airport, and he was flown by fixed-wing to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City. A spokesman for the hospital was not able to provide information about his condition shortly after 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

The accident was reported about 10:38 a.m. Wednesday. It occurred at auxiliary storage bins across Cottonwood Street from the Strong City's primary elevator complex.