A man has died after suffering horrific injuries when he became trapped in an accident at work at a paper mill in Devon.

Emergency services were called to the Arjo Wiggins Stowford Mill in Harford Road, Ivybridge, at about 6.25pm after reports of a man being trapped in machinery. He had become trapped in a papermaking machine but the cause of the accident remains unknown. Two off-duty retained firefighters from Ivybridge fire station, who work at the mill, helped to rescue him from the machinery and administered first aid.

Firefighters from Ivybridge, Plympton, Camels Head and Tavistock were called to assist after receiving a request from ambulance personnel.

The man, described by police as a local man in his 40s, was then flown to Derriford Hospital by the Devon Air Ambulance. He later died of his injuries.

A spokesman for the Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, Paul Slavin, paid tribute to the two firefighters who battled to save the man. He said: “They did everything they could. They extricated the man from the machinery and tried to give him first aid at the scene before he was airlifted to Derriford. It was a very difficult incident. These off duty fire fighters did everything they could to revive him at the scene.”

An investigation into the accident at work is now underway by police and the Health and Safety Executive.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Police were called to a report of an industrial accident at a paper mill in the Ivybridge area. One male was involved and suffered serious injuries. He was taken to Derriford Hospital and has, sadly, died of his injuries. The cause of the accident is unknown and an investigation has commenced. The Health and Safety Executive has been notified.”

The Unite union said it had been informed that one of its members had died after being trapped in a papermaking machine. It said its officials were on site and had been in contact with the company, the Health & Safety Executive, the Employers Federation and the Confederation of Paper Industries. Tony Burke, the union’s Assistant General Secretary, said: “Our condolences will be sent to our member’s family and they will, of course, receive the full support of our union.” No-one from Arjo Wiggins was available for comment.