Woman Suffers Severe Hand Injury After Unannounced Power Cut Triggers Machine Accident

Kollam: A 42-year-old woman suffered severe injuries after her hand became trapped in a pickle-mixing machine when power was unexpectedly restored during an unannounced power cut. She underwent emergency surgery by doctors from the orthopaedics and plastic surgery departments. The injured woman, Mini, a resident of Arunnoottimangalam, Mangad, is an employee at KS Industries in Kilikollur. She was admitted to NS Cooperative Hospital with a fracture in her hand just below the elbow and above the palm. She is currently under treatment in the surgical ICU. The accident occurred around 4 pm on Saturday at the unit, which manufactures spice powders and pickles. With frequent power cuts in the area, Mini reportedly assumed that electricity would not be restored immediately and attempted to clean the machine without switching it off. Power was unexpectedly restored while she was cleaning it, causing her hand to get caught in the rotating blade inside the machine's tank, which mixes the ingredients. As the machine began operating, the area around her palm was fractured and became trapped inside the machine. Fire and Rescue Services personnel from Kadappakada arrived at the scene and used a cutter to cut through the machine's blade, enabling them to free her hand.