A man whose hands were severed in an industrial accident in southern Queensland was found entrapped in a machine in his workplace suffering from massive blood loss and burns.

Paramedics were called just before 8am today to a mushroom farm at Ballandean, near the Queensland-NSW border, after reports the 40-year-old’s hands and arms had been dragged into an industrial machine

Darling Downs Local Ambulance Service Network spokesman Glen Maule said the injured man was initially helped by co-workers.

“The bystanders offered immediate first aid to the patient and applied tourniquets to his injured limbs to help stem the blood loss,” Mr Maule told news.com.au.

“They worked to free him from the machinery and that was then finalised by personnel from the Queensland Ambulance Service.”

Mr Maule said the man was suffering from “very serious injuries” and confirmed he also received burns from heat produced by the machine he was trapped in.

The man was flown by a Life Flight helicopter to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane assisted by an anaesthetist and two nurses sent from Stanthorpe Hospital.

“The team worked with a paramedic and were able to stabilise him and provide fluid replacements prior to the flight but he is still in a very serious condition from blood loss,” Mr Maule said.

It is understood the man was working at Country Farm Fresh Mushrooms, a supplier of mushroom compost. News.com.au contacted the business for comment but an employee refused to talk about the workplace accident or even confirm an accident had occurred.

However, talking to The Courier-Mail, Neil Newman, the owner of the company, said it was “an accident that shouldn’t have happened”.

“We had a guy here delivering straw who heard him yelling out and he went to help out,” he said.

“With our first aid officers, we administered aid until ambulances arrived.”

Another man at the workplace was treated for shock but did not require transport to hospital.



Do you know more? email benedict.brook@news.com.au.