Positivity: Mobile phone saves man pinned by two-tonne sheet
From Bonogin, in Australia (there is also video at the link):
02May08
A MAN being crushed by a two-tonne steel sheet saved his own life yesterday by desperately clawing for his mobile phone and dialling 000.
Then police stepped in, with the first officers on the scene at Bonogin using a crowbar and a wooden plank to prise the sheet off the stricken man, easing the pressure on him until help arrived.
Emergency crews at the scene later said caretaker Graeme Smith was lucky to be alive.
The sheet had pinned him upright to the wall of a concrete trench on a property in Bonogin Road for almost half an hour from 10.15am.
Mr Smith was flown to Gold Coast Hospital with suspected pelvic and internal injuries after fire crews freed him from the pit by using hydraulic equipment.
The caretaker, who is believed to be in his 40s, was alone and appeared to be making cement blocks when the sheet fell across his middle back.
Despite being unable to escape from the pit, Mr Smith managed to reach his mobile phone and call 000 — a move emergency workers credit with saving his life.
Sergeant Sean Miles and Constable Sarah Northcoat of Mudgeeraba police were first on the scene and used a crowbar and a heavy plank of wood to ease the weight of the metal sheet off Mr Smith until fire crews arrived.
“The gentleman was pinned across the chest with a steel plate against his back,” said Sgt Miles.
“He was swearing a lot, let’s put it this way. We just did what we could and found a crowbar and a piece of wood and sort of jammed it down to try to take the pressure off him.”
Sgt Miles said he was exhausted after spending about 10 minutes easing the pressure with his colleague.
“It’s pretty heavy after about five or 10 minutes,” he said. “My legs were giving out at the end when the firies arrived to give me a hand. My legs were shaking pretty much.”
Robina fire station officer Steve Lohmann said firefighters arrived to find the police officers struggling with the steel sheet.
“On arrival we saw that QPS (police) had arrived just before us and were at the scene trying to stabilise the steel with a crowbar with not too much success,” he said.
“We instantly went into action with our hydraulic spreading gear, which we use for road crash rescue, to take the pressure off the patient.
“There was no room for anyone to get in there and we couldn’t allow the paramedics to actually enter the trench to assist the patient until we’d stabilised it.
“After we stabilised it slightly we went into action for major stabilisation for the large plate of steel, which allowed paramedics to access the patient inside the trench.”
Officer Lohmann said the fact Mr Smith was able to call for help on his phone had potentially saved his life. …..
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