EMERGENCY services worked for about two hours yesterday to free a man who became trapped when a four-wheel-drive and trailer reversed into a garage, causing sections of it to collapse.
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The man, in his 50s, was trapped by the legs between the draw-bar of the trailer and the four-wheel-drive.
He was with a woman in her 80s in the garage of the Stratford Close house when the four-wheel-drive and trailer reversed into them around 10.25am.
The woman was uninjured, but was taken to Orange hospital for observation and released a few hours later, while the man, who was in a stable condition, remained in hospital overnight.
Fire and Rescue NSW Orange station officer Matt Jeffery said timber blocks and steel poles were used to stabilise the garage before the man could be released.
He said the man was conscious throughout the rescue while NSW Ambulance officers provided him with pain relief.
“It was extremely difficult, but stabilising the patient was the number-one property,” Mr Jeffery said.
“He was in a very precarious position so it was a very delicate rescue procedure.”
Members of the State Emergency Service, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW and police attended.
Mr Jeffery said crews were forced to cut away part of the trailer and a rescuer crawled under the four-wheel-drive to gain access to the man.
“It was an unusual and difficult entrapment but we had excellent co-operation between everyone at the scene,” he said.
Canobolas Local Area Command Inspector Peter Atkins said a police investigation was underway to determine the cause of the incident.
The house had recently been sold and it is believed the occupants were in the process of moving.
tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au
