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SOUTH JORDAN — A man called out to fix a large piece of machinery at a new housing development became pinned for nearly an hour Wednesday.
Crews working on the development in the Daybreak area, near 10800 South and 5200 West, were using an earthmover when the vehicle broke down. A 43-year-old maintenance worker was called out to look at the problem, said South Jordan Fire Battalion Chief Wayne Edginton.
"Something shifted or something broke" while the man was between the bulldozer's rear 6-foot tires and the bucket, he said. Despite being pinned, the man was able to reach his cellphone and called for help.
"The construction guys estimated there was about 12 tons of dirt and sand in it," he said. "We could see his feet. He could move his legs. But the weight was on his back and chest."
The worker stayed alert and conscious the entire time. About 20 firefighters from various agencies used "rams, lifters and (air)bags" to get him out."We were able to shift the weight enough, that we were able to get him out," Edginton said.
Amazingly, when the man was freed after about an hour, there were no signs of broken bones or obvious trauma. The man was air lifted to Intermountain Medical Center for observation and to check for possible internal injuries.
