Two carpenters save elderly man after he severs artery in Queensland
Josh Sander and Gary Tunbridge used a dress and adhesive tape to control heavy bleeding after Ian Barton fell in Gracemere.
Two carpenters saved the life of a 93-year-old man in Gracemere, Queensland, after he suffered a severe wrist injury on Monday, November 2, 2026, according to the Times of India.
Ian Barton was carrying a bowl of porridge when he tripped over a small ramp and fell. A fragment of the shattered bowl sliced an artery in his wrist, causing heavy bleeding.
Carpenter Josh Sander and his apprentice Gary Tunbridge heard screams from across the street and rushed to the property. After a tea towel failed to stop the blood loss, Sander retrieved a dress from the house while Tunbridge got adhesive tape from their work vehicle.
The two men used the dress fabric and tape to create a tighter dressing and applied pressure for approximately 40 minutes until paramedics arrived. During the wait, Tunbridge removed Barton's false teeth to clear his airway when he appeared to be choking.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesperson said the local crew responded as quickly as possible despite significant demand. Barton was taken to Rockhampton Hospital, where he underwent surgery and remained in stable condition.
Barton's wife, Joy Barton, described the two men as heroes and said she believed they saved her husband's life. She noted that he would likely require several months of recovery at home.