Worker falls into vat of 720C molten aluminium at Swiss factory but survives

A worker miraculously survived after he fell into a vat of molten aluminium at a factory but managed to pull himself to safety.

The 25-year-old electrician fell into a furnace filled with 720C (1,328F) molten aluminium while he was working at the factory in St Gallen, north-eastern Switzerland.

The young man was immersed in the molten metal up to his knees but managed to brave the pain and pull himself out of the furnace.

The accident happened in St Gallen City, north-eastern Switzerland. The city’s police said it was investigating how it happened

He had been carrying out work with a colleague on the furnace holding the aluminum on Wednesday evening.

The man fell into a circular opening at the top of the furnace. 

Two emergency Swiss air rescue doctors and paramedics looked after him at the factory.

He was then helicoptered to hospital with extensive burns.

St Gallen City Police are investigating how the accident happened.

It’s not the first time an accident has happened in a factory. 

Earlier this year a packaging company pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations after a grandfather picked up his own severed hand after it was chopped off in an industrial accident – and carried it for doctors to save.

Christopher Wright, 59, had the limb packed in a bag to be taken to hospital with him, where it was reattached in an 11-hour operation.

Christopher Wright, 59, (pictured with wife Elaine) lost his hand in an industrial accident when he was dragged into a machine he was operating and his employer has now been fined £115k

Mr Wright was taken to hospital where his hand was reattached in an 11-hour operation

His hand horror was revealed as his employers were fined £115,000 after being found to be in breach of health and safety laws.

Despite having the hand reattached, Christopher has been left with lifelong pain – and struggles to cuddle his granddaughter.

Engineer Christopher was working at a packaging factory when his hand was pulled inside a machine.

Christopher was working for Riftward Limited, trading as Playford Packaging, in Wrexham when the accident happened two years ago.

In the same year, a young woman was left with permanent injuries after her right arm was dragged into a rolling machine at a salt factory.

Courtney Herbert, 18, was left in agonising pain after her arm was trapped in the machinery at the Pacific Salt factory in Whyalla, South Australia, on April 17, 2020.

Courtney Herbert was left in agonising pain after her arm was trapped in the machinery

The incident was more than two years ago but she still regularly has bouts of pain from the incident 

Ms Herbert was taken to hospital to receive surgery and left with damage to her tendons. 

Pacific Salt, which is the producer behind the famous Olsson’s Salt, was taken to the South Australian Employment Tribunal following the incident and pleaded guilty to breaching the Work Health and Safety Act.

She had been brushing excess salt from a conveyor belt when her shirt became caught, dragging her arm into the roller.

Court documents revealed the desperate measures Ms Herbert’s colleagues resorted to with one grabbing a nearby spanner to release the tension of the roller so she could pull her arm out. 

Another worker frantically turned off the machine to stop the conveyor belt crushing her arm.