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Man who lost part of leg in wood chipper accident in stable condition

(File photo)

YARMOUTH, Mass. — A Dennisport man is in stable condition after he lost part of his leg in a wood chipper accident Friday morning.

Emergency crews responded to a call just before 10 a.m. for a man trapped and seriously injured in a wood chipper on Highbank Road in South Yarmouth.

At the scene, police and firefighters found a 31-year-old man suffering from life-threatening injuries after losing a portion of his leg. His fellow landscaping co-workers had been treating him at the scene, but he was bleeding profusely.

One co-worker, Kevin McCarthy, 30, immediately called for help when he saw what happened and put the machine in reverse. Another man, Nicholas Callahan, 29, removed his belt and used it as a tourniquet around the victim's left leg, elevated it, applied pressure and both worked to keep the victim calm before help arrived.

A tourniquet was applied and the man was rushed to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis where he is being treated for his injuries. A Med Flight was requested but was unable to fly due to the weather.

Yarmouth Police are actively investigating the incident.

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