Meat Grinder Nearly Swallows Central California Worker

SAN LUIS OBISPO (CBS/AP) -- Fire officials say an employee at a wholesale California grocer is lucky to be alive after getting caught in a running meat grinder.

The man was trying to dislodge a piece of meat that appeared to be caught in the hopper of the grinder at San Luis Obispo grocer Vitco on Thursday afternoon.

Fire Chief Garret Olson says his sleeve got caught and was being pulled in when a co-worker heard his screams and shut the machine off.

Olson says the man was a second away from suffering potentially fatal injuries.

Fire crews had to pry the machine open to get him out. He suffered a broken arm.

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