By Jessica Anstice
A driver trapped after his truck rolled down an embankment into a large open drain was freed after an hour and half on Friday 18 December.
The truck driver, in his late-40s, crashed down a three-metre embankment at the corner of Heads Road and Kooweerup-Longwarry Road in Catani about 4.45am.
Landing on its side, rescue crews and paramedics climbed down a ladder to access and extract the man who was trapped inside the truck.
Pakenham SES and Nar Nar Goon Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteers climbed into the cramped cabin and supported the driver to prevent further injury, while rescue crews removed the truck door and assisted the man.
In a combined effort, paramedics, Nar Nar Goon and Bayles CFA and Dandenong Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) performed a handover manoeuvre about 6.20am.
The crews passed the patient in a basket stretcher down the embankment and over the drain water before specialist technical rope rescue operators hauled him up the embankment and transferred him to an ambulance.
The father-of-two was flown by air ambulance helicopter to The Alfred hospital in a serious condition with upper body injuries.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria was notified as diesel leaked into the drain.
