By Mitchell Clarke
A Cardinia Shire Council contractor needed to be airlifted to hospital after his truck overturned and fell three metres down an embankment in Emerald.
Emergency services were called to Old Beaconsfield road just before 12pm on Thursday 28 January following reports of a truck rollover.
The truck, which was conducting road repairs in the local area, is understood to have overturned while reversing.
It fell about three metres down an embankment and came to rest on its roof, the CFA confirmed.
One witness told the Gazette the truck appeared to have been held up by trees.
“It was resting on trees and if any of those trees gave way, it was going to fall down a lot further,” he said.
“All I could see was that they were doing road resurfacing and the truck has gone over the edge. Neighbours said he might have been reversing when it toppled.”
The driver was trapped inside for about an hour as first responders worked to free him.
He was eventually airlifted to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition with upper body injuries, Ambulance Victoria confirmed.
In a social media statement, Emerald Fire Brigade said it “appears the driver was lucky to escape with relatively minor injuries … we wish him a speedy recovery”.
Fire Rescue Victoria sent out four specialist high angle rescue crews to conduct the difficult rescue alongside CFA volunteers and the Emerald SES road rescue crew.
CFA trucks from Emerald, Menzies Creek and Clematis brigades were supported by vehicles from Monbulk, Wandin and District 8 and 13 brigades.
Cardinia Shire Council confirmed the truck driver was one of its contractors conducting road works.
“Council expresses its best wishes to the truck driver who was taken to hospital for treatment,” a spokesperson said.
“Relevant authorities are investigating the incident.”
