Sault firefighters called in by ER doctors to help separate ATV-part and finger

Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services was dispatched to the Emergency Room of Sault Area Hospital on Saturday where they removed an ATV part from a patient’s hand.

Fire department platoon chief Stan Martynuck said that a man was admitted to the hospital on Saturday after the middle finger on his left hand gotten stuck in a constant velocity joint inside an ATV axle hub while making a repair.

The fire department received a request for assistance from the hospital at 7:35 p.m. after doctors were unable to separate the finger and the object.

Two fire crews were dispatched and upon their arrival the hospital set up a room for six firefighters to work under the supervision of medical staff with another firefighter outside the room acting as tool-runner.

Martynuck said the ATV-part was softball-sized and made of case-hardened metal – a challenge for firefighters more commonly used to cutting through much larger objects.

Use of the Jaws of Life and other sheers that firefighters commonly use to cut metal "were discussed but discounted early on" as they were considered a risk to the man's safety, said Martynuck.

Martynuck said firefighters attempted to free the finger by sliding it out of the axle hub and then by using various equipment that they had on hand, but nothing worked.

“Sometimes we have to draw on partners to get the stuff we need,” said Martynuck.

At that point, firefighters made phone calls to their own mechanical department as well to the security department of Essar Steel Algoma.

Soon after, Essar Steel employees, presumably after consulting the steel plant’s millwrights, said Martynuck, showed up with a small air powered grinder and the fire department mechanics brought in an electric grinder.

Using those tools, firefighters were able to break the axle hub open and remove the man’s finger from the joint.

During the procedure, the man’s hand was kept cool by firefighters pouring water over it.

In total, it took firefighters an hour and a half to two hours to remove the object, said Martynuck.

“It was a long slow process monitored by doctors,” he said.

Once the device was removed, firefighters left the hospital and doctors further monitored the man’s condition which at this time is unknown.

“It was a unique situation. This is the first time I’ve ever had to do something like this. It was people coming together on a Saturday night and bringing resources and equipment together to come to a successful conclusion,” said Martynuck.

Sault Area Hospital and Essar Steel were unavailable for comment.