A young woman lost part of her leg in a farm machinary accident off Drake Road, Elba, on Wednesday afternoon.
A hunter found Diana M. Beechler, 24, of Water Street, Oakfield, with her arm and leg stuck in an auger she had reportedly been cleaning.
Elba Fire, along with more volunteers from Batavia and Oakfield worked for than 90 minutes to extricate Beechler from the machine.
Mercy Flight transported Beechler to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.
"It was a pretty tough extrication," said Brian Russell, chief of the Elba Volunteer Fire Department. "We’re used to extricating out of cars, not farm equipment, so it definitely adds to the challenge."
Russell said crews had to cut through two layers of metal covers to be able to safely pull Beechler from the auger.
Beechler was reportedly an employee at the farm at 3869 Drake Street Road and was inside a grain cart cleaning it out when she either fell or was pulled into the auger.
It's unknown how long she had been stuck when a local hunter came upon the machinery and noticed a problem with the power take off (PTO) of the tractor. When checking the PTO problem, he discovered Beechler lodged in the auger. He shut down the PTO and called 9-1-1.
Russell said Beechler was alert and conscious throughout the extrication.
"We controlled the bleeding as best we good," Russell said. "It was hard with her being stuck up inside there, but they (the volunteers) did an excellent job."
Alton Beechler, Diana's father-in-law, called it "an unfortunate accident."
"She is pretty tough," Alton added, "and if anybody can make it, she can."
Assisting at the scene were Mercy EMS and the Sheriff's Office.
