AUSTIN, TX – One person suffered potentially life-threatening injuries after he tumbled into a grease trap at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Wednesday. Moreover, two other men injured themselves due to the grease trap.
According to officials, around 3:07 a.m. the man plummeted into the 8-10 foot deep pit. This hole is where all the grease from airline restaurants collects on a day to day basis. Furthermore, Austin-Travis County EMS indicated the grease claimed two other victims. However, these men managed to extricate themselves from the grease.
Unfortunately, one of the men was unable to free himself from the grease. As a result, he suffered from cardiac arrest. The EMS officials quickly administered CPR, and the man accompanied the other two victims to the hospital.
An ABIA spokesperson confirmed that two employees from a contractor, Liquid Environmental Solutions, and one airport operations member were the men in question. Fortunately, the hospital released the man from the hospital today.
Apparently, the workers clean grease traps at the airport with frequency. The City of Austin explains that grease traps filter out the Fats, Oils, and Greases and solids common in food preparation waste from the rest of the wastewater being pumped to the city’s sanitary sewer system.
Derick Hackett, an airport spokesperson, indicated the awful accident could initiate protocol changes. Furthermore, he went on to discuss how important it is to make changes so that the safety of everyone is preserved. Additinally, he said they’ve often made adjustments to these procedures before.
