Fire & Rescue
Worker rescued from hopper at Winter Garden concrete plant
A maintenance worker was rescued after falling into an industrial hopper Thursday afternoon at a concrete products facility in Winter Garden. The incident occurred at Lotts Concrete Products on Hennis Road near Plant Street; Winter Garden Fire Rescue says the fall happened at about 2:11 p.m.
According to fire officials, the worker slipped from a ladder and fell roughly 10 feet into the hopper while performing maintenance. The hopper was not operating at the time, and the worker suffered a leg injury and became trapped inside the confined space. It is estimated the worker remained in the hopper for several minutes before 911 was called.
Because of the location and complexity of the extraction, Winter Garden Fire Rescue requested Orange County Fire Rescue’s specialized technical rescue team. Crews conducted a high-angle rescue operation to remove the conscious worker, who was reportedly able to speak with rescuers throughout the operation but remained in significant pain.
Agency statements in the report describe the sequence of events and the rescue response; those are the documented facts. The report does not provide the worker’s identity, the exact duration before the emergency call, details on treatment or transport, nor any investigative or administrative outcomes. No charges, citations, causes beyond the slip, or long-term status are included in the available account.
More Orange County news · Request a correction or case update
All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.