Clockwise, from top, emergency services work to secure the
tanker which rolled into a gully near Alexandra on Saturday
morning, trapping driver Kenneth "Mac" McGarry.Police, fire
service and ambulance staff carry the rescued driver away
after he was trapped for almost two hours. Mr McGarry holds
the hand of his wife, Carol (far right), while his
condition is assessed by doctors and ambulance staff. Photo
by Rosie Manins.
Fire, police, and ambulance services worked together to
free a trapped colleague on Saturday during what was described
as a textbook rescue.
Central Otago District Council Rural Fire Authority officer
Kenneth "Mac" McGarry was trapped in the driver's seat of an
8000-litre water tanker for almost two hours on Saturday
morning, after the vehicle rolled down an embankment on
private property near Alexandra.
Mr McGarry (49), of Alexandra, was driving the tanker in
response to a fire callout to Letts Gully Rd just before 9am.
On discovering he had driven up the unsealed driveway at a
wrong address, supplied to the fire service, he turned to
make his way back down the hill.
Part of the driveway gave way under the tanker's weight, and
as dirt cascaded down the bank, the tanker rolled.
It eventually came to a stop on its right side, trapping him.
"It's fairly obvious the road has given way and once that
happened there was nothing the driver could do.
"My understanding from the passengers is that [Mr McGarry]
did everything he could to help them hold on," Sergeant Ian
Kerrisk, of Alexandra, said.
Fellow rural fire authority officers Nigel Greaves (39) and
Jordan McGregor (16), both from Alexandra, were in the tanker
when it rolled, but managed to free themselves.
Both received minor bruising and scratches and were treated
by ambulance staff on the scene shortly after the incident.
They stayed on site to support Mr McGarry and help in his
rescue.
About 15 members of the Alexandra Volunteer Fire Brigade were
quickly on the scene, after confirming the fire for which
services were called out initially was a permitted burn-off.
An Alexandra doctor was called to assess Mr McGarry, but
could not get close enough to him.
Mr McGarry was conscious and talking during the incident, and
did not appear to be in need of urgent medical attention, so
he was left in the care of emergency services.
Two cranes and a helicopter from Dunedin were called to the
site.
Firefighters used the jaws of life to cut into the tanker,
removing parts of the roof and inside cab, including the
steering wheel.
Mr McGarry was eventually freed at 11am and given immediate
medical attention before being flown by helicopter to Dunedin
Hospital for a scan and other medical checks.
He was released from hospital yesterday.
Sgt Kerrisk said although the rescue operation took about two
hours, it was "textbook" in terms of the fire, police, and
ambulance services working together as they had been trained.
"It was a slow rescue, as it needed to be," he said.
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