Worker's arm severed in brush-clearing accident on State Route 76

Emergency workers have reported that a man who works for a firm that has been sub-contracted to do brush clearing/native habitat restoration suffered a severed arm in an accident today near the San Luis Rey riverbed area along State Route 76 near Gird Road.

The man was standing next to equipment that was clearing brush on State Route 76 at approximately 1:45 p.m. when a loose cable in the area got caught in the machinery.

"The cable broke and severed his arm at the shoulder," said John Buchanan, public information officer for North County Fire. "He was transported by medical helicopter to Palomar Hospital with life-threatening injuries." The man's severed limb was launched into the air during the incident.

Immediately following the incident, emergency workers on scene and 25 members of the Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team with two canines began combing the brush in the area to try and find the severed limb.

The limb was recovered at approximately 3 p.m. approximately 50 yards from the piece of machinery.

Experts have said "there is a three-hour window to re-attach the arm." The limb was placed on ice and saline and flown by Sheriff's ASTREA helicopter to Palomar Hospital.

It was a nurse at Palomar Hospital's emergency room that suggested a call go out to the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team. As part of mutual aide, Escondido Police Department dispatched two canines.

Cal-OSHA is conducting an investigation into the incident.

The subcontracting firm, Dendra Inc., was hired by Mission Resource Conservation District to remove non-native vegetation and replant native shrubs as part of the State Route 76 (SR76) widening project.

The non-native vegetation removal is locally known as the Morrison Mitigation Project and is in year one of a five year $2.2 million contract. In 2008, Caltrans paid $4.8 million for the site which encompasses at total of 136 acres.