An accident during a rescue air bag demonstration has caused the death of factory representative, who was also a South Dakota volunteer firefighter.
Nathan Hamro, 50, of Sioux Falls, was giving a demonstration that involved air bags lifting heavy machinery and vehicles, to members of the Dell Rapids, Colton and Baltic fire departments Thursday night when the accident happened, officials said. Hamro worked for Heiman Brothers Company, a firefighting equipment distributor, in Sioux Falls, KELO reported.
While Hamro was using "three airbags to lift a 90-ton loader," the weight shifted, causing some type of failure, what some described as an "explosion." Hamro, who was 5 to 10 feet away at the time, suffered massive head injuries when an airbag was thrust into his upper body, Sgt. Preston Evans of the Minnehaha County Sheriff's Department said.
Firefighters participating in the training demonstration of the newly acquired airbags immediately rushed to Hamro's aid, but he was pronounced dead the following morning at an area hospital.
Hamro was a volunteer firefighter with the Renner Fire Department.
Several of the approximately 30-40 firefighters present at the demonstration were also treated for temporary hearing loss.
Minnehaha County and federal investigators spent Friday trying to figure out what went wrong, KELO reported.
Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead told KELO, "It was an instantaneous event where the air bags went out from underneath the vehicle. We don't know at this point if they popped while they were under the vehicle or broke loose and flew. "
The building itself, the LG Everist Quarry in the east side of Dell Rapids, was also damaged from the incident. The airbags rapidly propelled in the air, wrecking the ceiling, and causing thousands of dollars in structural damage. Investigators are continuing to look into the matter.
The company Hamro was working for, as well as the manufacturer of the air bags, was not immediately available. An investigation into the accident was continuing.
Further details will be posted as they become available.
- Argus Leader: Firefighter Dies During Training
