A Victorian power station worker was hospitalised last week after becoming trapped in a pipe.
The RTL Mining and Earthworks employee became stuck at 1.40pm on Wednesday while working in a trench at the Yallourn power station.
The Country Fire Authority rescued the man from a three metre deep hole in a “slow and arduous process” involving CFA, SES and Ambulance Victoria personnel.
The CFA arrived at the scene to find the man face down on a ledge in the hole.
“The man was conscious, breathing and able to talk to us but because of suspected spinal injuries we all had to treat him very carefully,” Senior Station Officer Rohan Taylor said.
“In a lengthy and difficult process we first used timber at the site to create a brace for him to rest on him and ensure he didn’t fall any further. We and Ambulance Victoria paramedics were then able to gently turn him over, put him on a back board and transfer him to a stretcher.
“Ropes were attached to the stretcher’s anchor points and the lift mechanism of an excavator at the site. The excavator was then used to gently lift the patient out of the hole.”
After a two-hour rescue, the man was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne with head and leg injuries.
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