Firefighters' five hour Hungerford battle to free lorry driver

FIREFIGHTERS from three local fire stations battled for five hours in Hungerford on Friday (Oct 19) to cut a driver free from a lorry which spilled 30 tonnes of scrap metal on the carriageway, following a three-vehicle collision.
According to the manager of Red Watch at Newbury Fire Station, Bob Mitchell, who was at the scene, one fire engine from Newbury, another from Hungerford and a third, heavy rescue unit from Tilehurst fire station - a total 15 firefighters - were called at 12.42pm to the A338 at Eddington, close to junction 14 of the M4 at Hungerford, after a collision involving two lorries and a Saab car.
A 30 tonne load of scrap metal was shed onto the carriageway during the collision, following which the lorry turned onto its side, trapping the driver in his cab.
“The cab was on its side, we could only see the wheels and had to put a ladder up to the cab, and then we could only see the lorry driver’s head,” said Mr Mitchell.
“We had to tunnel through the cab of the other lorry to get to him. His cab was destroyed and he was propped up against the cab of the other vehicle.”
The other lorry, carrying a load of plastic garden furniture, remained on its wheels, following the collision and the drivers of this lorry and the car were unhurt, according to Mr Mitchell.
A firefighter of 22 years experience, Mr Mitchell said it was the most difficult extraction exercise he had ever taken part in:
“We had to rotate firefighters because it was very hard work, with heavy tools, people were getting cold and it was raining. We had to move both lorries while he was still trapped,” he continued.
“We managed to get him out, he was still conscious, but in a lot of pain and talking to us, a doctor was administering pain relief.”
South Central Ambulance spokesman, James Keating-Wilkes, said the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance was called to the scene at 12.38pm on Friday, together with a double-manned land ambulance and two doctors.
The air ambulance was forced to leave the scene before darkness fell, when it is unable to fly and while firefighters continued their battle to cut the man free.
The injured driver was transported by land ambulance to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, with injuries sustained as a result of a lengthy entrapment, according to the ambulance service.
Inspector Phil Rogers, of Thames Valley Police, confirmed police were called at 12.39pm to the incident, with the A338 still closed at 9.30pm on Friday and which remained closed for several hours after this.
The fire service closed the incident at 6.30pm