Man trapped in pipe at Port Bienville

Man trapped in pipe at Port Bienville

Firefighters on Friday freed a man who had been trapped inside a 30-inch steel pipe for nearly three hours at Port Bienville.

According to West Hancock Fire Chief Glenn Sigur, firefighters received a call at around 7:38 a.m. that a worker at a pipe facility, Jindal Tubular USA, located at Port Bienville, somehow had become boxed-in inside a dual-feed welding head machine.

Prentis Gamage, 33, was struggling to breathe because he was pinned in between the heavy-duty piece of machinery and the large steel pipe, officials said.

As soon as fellow workers noticed Gamage had been trapped inside, they stopped the machine, but there was no way to immediately reach him.

“The dual-feed welding head sits in the center of the steel pipe,” Sigur explained. “It was about 100 feet long and sat on multiple rollers. With this type of machinery, the pipe rolls as the machine welds it.”

Firefighter's fought quickly for a way to access Gamage. Sigur said he decided climbing inside the 80-foot long pipe was the rescue route they would need to take, so he and Bayside Volunteer Fireman Chris Ledandoski gradually climbed their way through.

“We couldn't get all the way to him no matter how hard we tried,” Sigur said. “We realized he was pinned, so we attempted to take the pipe apart.”

Unfortunately, he said, the two were unable to reach some of the bolts because Gamage was stuck over the machine's parts, Sigur said, which was the only way firefighters could dismantle the pipe.

“We had no other option than to cut the pipe in order to set him free,” Sigur said.

Employees at the facility pitched in on the rescue efforts using torches and grinders to help cut the pipe.

“It was a team effort,” Sigur said. “We called for a life-flight and even the life-flight nurse climbed inside.

“She was trying to insert an IV in the man to help get him fluids.”

Unfortunately, due to the position in which Gamage was trapped, all of the nurse's attempts failed to get him fluids.

“He was getting worse, so we knew time was not on our side,” Sigur said.

“He was having difficulty breathing, but he could somewhat talk,” Sigur said. “All I kept hearing him say was 'Get me out!' 'Get me out'. He was so worried he was going to die inside that pipe.”

When the incident occurred, Gamage's brother and co-worker was there, Sigur said.

“His brother stood by supporting him through the entire ordeal. I couldn't hear what they were saying. 

I was concentrating on how we could free him, but I did hear the two speak. It was very inspiring, yet heartbreaking.”

At around 10:30 am, firefighters finally extricated Gamage, freeing him from inside the pipe, Sigur said.

“Every call is different,” Sigur said. “This was a very unusual call. It was definitely something we have not been trained for or even seen before!”

Gamage was airlifted to University Hospital in New Orleans. As of press time Friday, Gamage was in stable-yet-critical condition. 

Bayside Fire Department and St Tammany Parish Fire Protection District 1 provided mutual aid at the scene.

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