A longtime employee of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Ames Laboratory, located on the Iowa State campus, was injured Friday afternoon when he became trapped in mechanical equipment in the basement of the lab’s Technical and Administrative Services Facility (TASF).

According to a press release, Ronald G. Foderberg, supervisor of electrical services, was injured at 2:35 p.m.

Mark Grootveld, manager of the lab’s Facilities Services department, said the victim and a co-worker were examining a smoke detector that was located near a fan that supplies air to the ventilation system.

Grootveld said the fan is approximately five feet in diameter.

Reports indicated that the fan had been turned off, but a “shaft protruding from the fan had not ceased spinning” and it caught Foderberg’s clothing. Because of protective screens, Foderberg, 56, did not suffer injury from the fan’s blades, but he became entangled in the mechanical equipment.

“[Foderberg’s] clothing got entangled in the shaft of the fan; his clothing twisted up and [he was thrown] into the housing of the fan,” Grootveld said. He said Foderberg was knocked unconscious.

Grootveld also said he believed Foderberg sustained injuries to his head and arms.

Foderberg’s co-worker contacted emergency personnel, and Foderberg was transported by ambulance to the Ames Airport at 3:10 p.m. Foderberg then was flown by Life Flight to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, where he received medical attention.

As of press time, Foderberg was listed in critical condition.

DOE is expected to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident. Grootveld said at the time of the accident, one witness was present in the immediate vicinity.

“We’ve already started to get statements from people,” Grootveld said.