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HIghway Construction Vehicle Stabilized |
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Nov 7, 2009
Caledon Fire & Emergency Services
On Nov. 6 at 3:12 p.m. Caledon Fire and Emergency Services conducted a rescue operation after a man's foot became wedged in a Bobcat while working on a construction site by Highway 50, north of Zimmerman Drive in Palgrave. The man was working on the construction site when the incident occurred, making it a workplace accident, which has been reported to Caledon OPP. "It looked to our people as if the Bobcat may have been starting to lose its balance... It may have started to roll, or he perceived it was going to roll, so he attempted to jump from it," said Caledon Fire Chief Brad Bigrigg.
As he attempted the escape his foot became trapped between the bucket and the frame of the equipment. Firefighters were not able to use traditional equipment in the area, which was reportedly about a kilometre from the roadway, and so used mini-pumpers to transport people and rescue tools to and from the site. "There wasn't enough horizontal or vertical clearance. The roadways they've got cut though there, they're meant for something small like a pickup truck," explained Bigrigg.
It took approximately 45 minutes to free the trapped man. "They had to stabilize the Bobcat itself with 'ResQJacks'... we purchased them last year; we get a lot of use out of them," said the Chief. The machinery had to be stabilized so firefighters could work to free the victim without worrying about it rolling in the process. The operator was treated and transported to Headwaters Hospital by Peel EMS. "He was conscious and alert. It was clear that he had a serious injury to his foot. I don't think it was a life threatening injury... I think he was uncomfortable, in a lot of pain and he was trapped."
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