Worker exposed to lime in wastewater plant accident

A man was trapped and exposed to lime while making repairs to a silo at the Cape Girardeau Wastewater Treatment Plant on Tuesday.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to a call about 9:30 a.m. to extricate the man, who wasn't identified by authorities or plant officials.

According to Todd Fulton, coordinator at the facility, the employee became trapped in the silo when lime rushed out "where it wasn't supposed to."

Assistant fire chief Mark Hasheider said by the time firefighters arrived on the scene, employees already had removed the man from the area below the silo where he had been making repairs, and were trying to clean the lime from him.

He said firefighters stepped in to take over the decontamination. The trapped man was taken to a hospital by ambulance and two other employees were taken via private vehicle. Hasheider on Tuesday afternoon said he could not comment on the extent of their injuries.

Pertinent address:

429 Cooper St., Cape Girardeau, MO