Fire department responds to call for leg impaled by steel rod in west Columbia

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A patient had their leg impaled by a steel rod on Wednesday morning in a west Columbia neighborhood, according to a press release from the Columbia Fire Department.

The release says firefighters were called at 10:10 a.m. to the 300 block of Parkwood Court for a report of a fall injury. Identifying information about the patient was not given in the release.

“A patient had sustained a mechanical impalement to the leg by a piece of a reinforcing bar, a steel rod commonly used in concrete construction,” the release says.

A truck that was “equipped for technical rescue operations” was sent and crews removed  “a portion of the metal and railroad ties” to prevent more injuries occurring, the release says. The patient was brought to an area hospital with a portion of the bar still in their leg, the release says.

"This is exactly the type of call we envisioned when we made the strategic decision to distribute heavy rescue capabilities," Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said in the release. "The quick, coordinated response and specialized tools on our ladder truck made a real difference in the outcome for this patient."