2 lose a finger; 3rd breaks ankle

Yesterday was not a good day for appendages in one Montgomery County township, where two factory workers lost fingers and a third broke her ankle, according to police.

One of the workers lost a finger at Asher's Chocolates and the two others were injured two miles away at JBS Packerland, a meat-processing plant, Franconia Township police said.

At Asher's, a 41-year-old man was cleaning a machine about 11:20 a.m., when he accidentally stepped on a power switch on the floor and activated the device, according to police.

"It started spinning and sucked his finger in and tore part of it off," said an officer who asked not to be identified.

At JBS Packerland two hours earlier, a 41-year-old employee was working on a piece of machinery when he slipped and cut his index finger off on a large blade used to cut beef, police said.

About 7:30 a.m. at the same plant, a 36-year-old woman fell and broke her ankle when she was hit by a piece of machinery, causing her to slip and fall, police said.

All three workers were taken to Grand View Hospital in Sellersville, where they were expected to be fine, according to police.

"Well, as fine as you can be without a digit," the officer said.

A receptionist at Asher's who refused to pass along a message to management said that the company does not comment on "employee matters."

No one was available for comment yesterday at JBS.