A Rose Creek man burnt his arm Thursday afternoon after a burst of chemical fertilizer shot from a piece of equipment he was working on and struck him.

David Carlton Reuter, 42, was taken to the Austin Medical Center with an injury to his right elbow area.

His status was not immediately available Friday, but he was responsive when authorities arrived and it is not believed that the injury was serious.

According to a sheriff’s department report, Reuter was doing maintenance work on a sidedress applicator at 12877 590th Ave. when a valve shot off and anhydrous ammonia shot out.

The chemical first froze on his arm before causing burns near his elbow. Reuter applied ice before being taken to AMC.

Sheriff Terese Amazi said cases like this occur from time-to-time with farmers.

“It happens,” she said. “You just hope you don’t breathe it in” because it can burn your lungs.

According to the report, Reuter did not breathe in the chemical.