7 suffer major hand injuries in separate snowblower accidents

7 around Eau Claire suffer major hand injuries in separate snowblower accidents; 3 amputations

Associated Press
March 1, 2012

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - State emergency officials are renewing their warnings about snowblowers, after seven men in the Eau Claire area suffered severe hand injuries this week.

Officials say the injuries occurred in separate accidents as the men used their hands to clear wet, heavy snow from their snowblowers. Four required surgery, and three of those had at least one finger partially or completely amputated.

Paul Meznarich is a spokesman at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, which treated the men. He said Thursday the hospital generally sees one or two such injuries per winter, and it was unusual to see so many injuries in a single day.

Emergency officials remind residents to always turn a clogged snowblower off first, and then dislodge snow with a stick or broom, never their hands.