Aaron Curtis

The Sun, Lowell, Mass.

(TNS)

WESTFORD — A worker was airlifted to a trauma center on Friday afternoon after emergency crews spent about two hours freeing an arm that had become trapped in a conveyor belt system at an industrial site on Groton Road.

The worker — who was not identified by authorities — sustained extensive injuries in the incident at the Newport Construction Corp.’s materials processing site and asphalt plant at 540 Groton Road.

According to a joint press release from the Westford Fire and Police Departments, first responders arrived at about 11:20 a.m. to find the worker’s “upper extremity” caught in a conveyor system, prompting firefighters to request a large mutual‑aid response due to the complexity of the entrapment.

Fire Chief Michael Denehy told The Sun hours after the rescue that when crews arrived, they found the worker about 10 feet off the ground with his arm trapped in the machinery.

“He was conscious and alert,” Denehy said of the worker’s condition when firefighters first reached him. “He was conscious and in good spirits when we were communicating with him.”

The Essex County Technical Rescue Team was called in to provide advanced extrication capabilities, while surgical teams from Lowell General Hospital and Lahey Hospital responded directly to the scene to deliver specialized medical support, the release states. Paramedics and emergency medical service teams from Lowell General Hospital assisted with advanced life support.

Denehy said the incident marked a rare moment in his 35 years of fire service, noting it was the first time he had ever seen both technical rescue teams and surgical teams from hospitals called directly to a scene.

“This is a first in my career,” he said.

The patient was freed at 1:30 p.m. and transported by Boston MedFlight to a regional Level 1 trauma center for further care.

The incident remains under investigation.

In the release, firefighters and police praised the coordinated effort among the agencies that responded.

“Their seamless collaboration, skill, and dedication during this highly challenging incident were vital to successfully freeing the patient,” the release states.

The Tyngsboro Fire Department was also thanked in the release for providing station coverage during the incident, “ensuring continued emergency protection for the town while resources were committed to the scene.”

Denehy additionally praised Newport workers.

“It’s an unusual incident,” the fire chief said. “Everybody worked flawlessly, and it was well orchestrated. Everyone did a great job.”

According to their website, Newport operates an aggregate recycling and processing site at the historic Westford granite quarry, and now including granite mining and stone manufacturing. The company opened an asphalt plant at the same Groton Road location in 2020, part of an effort to vertically integrate its materials and paving operations.

It states on the website that “safety is very important to NEWPORT.”

“We have developed a culture that promotes an injury‑free environment and provides the safest workplace possible for our employees and clients,” the site states. “We are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards for safety in the construction industry. Our goal is to promote a zero accident environment.”

The company states that it emphasizes safe working conditions, regular safety seminars and training programs designed to reduce risk and ensure compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. Newport states that accident prevention is a core part of its operations and that employees and subcontractors receive ongoing instruction on both workplace and personal safety.

Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.

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