A backhoe operator in central Tennessee was saved Tuesday after a rock and dirt pit he was digging collapsed and buried him alive for nearly half a day, officials said.
Firefighters responded around 11:20 p.m. to a landslide incident on Keg Springs Road in the Hampshire community of Lewis County and found a flint pit face had collapsed onto a backhoe , “completely burying” the equipment and its operator, the Maury. said the County Fire Department.
Only a small portion of the roof of the backhoe was visible from beneath the flint, a hard, compact sedimentary rock composed mostly of quartz.
“Miraculously, verbal contact was made with the equipment operator who had been trapped for about 12 hours before being found by concerned family members who were unable to reach him by phone,” firefighters said .
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The trapped operator said only his head and one arm were above the collapsed dirt in a small gap directly under the roof of the backhoe. Rescuers installed a pipe that went down into the hollow area to create a flow of fresh air to the operator.
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Heavy equipment operated by civilians and utility workers arrived and helped dig out the backhoe with “tremendous skill and precision” that officials said was critical to the success of the operation.
Firefighters from Maury and Lewis counties dug with shovels and formed a “bucket brigade” to remove dirt from around the backhoe.
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After removing dirt from the sides of the backhoe, rescuers cut off the roof with a rotary saw. The Maury County Highway Department used chains to cradle the roof and lift it off the equipment.
Rescuers then manually removed more dirt from around the trapped operator and removed him from the backhoe to safety. He received medical attention at the scene and was later airlifted to a hospital.
“The operator was conscious and talking throughout the incident and even assisted in moving the dirt away from himself,” the fire department said. “We wish him a speedy and speedy recovery.”
There was no immediate update on the carrier’s status.
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The Maury County Fire Department thanked all agencies and civilians who responded to the incident.
Source of original article: Tennessee backhoe operator rescued 12 hours after earth pit collapses, buries him ‘completely’
