Early this morning, a worker was rescued after being trapped for several hours in a coal-filled train car in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The rescue effort took place near the Stiles and Hart Brick Company on Cook Street, as reported by NBC Boston.
Emergency teams, including the Plymouth County Technical Rescue Team, labored to safely extricate the worker, who was trapped up to his waist in coal. Deputy Fire Chief Glen Grafton stated that the man was "in no distress," conscious and speaking with rescuers throughout the ordeal, according to an interview with WCVB. The worker, whose name has not been made public, was ultimately freed before 1:30 p.m. and transferred to an ambulance that took him to a medical helicopter.
The technical aspects of the rescue were elaborate, involving a vacuum truck to carefully remove coal from around the trapped individual. "This is very time consuming and slow operation because we're trying to keep the person safe the whole time that we do it," Rob O’Brien, a rescue team member, told WCVB. Grafton later added, "He's on his way to (Boston Medical Center) right now via med flight for evaluation," noting the worker seemed in good condition and the airlift was a precautionary measure.
Details surrounding how the worker became trapped remain unclear, and investigations into the incident are ongoing. "We've been told that the person that was caught is perfectly fine and that his work partner is perfectly fine," Lincoln Andrews, owner of Stiles and Hart Brick Company, said in a statement obtained by WCVB. The unplanned event also impacted local train traffic, prompting police to request a hold on train operations between Bridgewater and Middleborough/Lakeville stations, as noted by CBS Boston.
The man, described by first responders as having a winning attitude, remained in good spirits throughout his ordeal and even shared jokes with the crew that came to his aid. Chief Rob O'Brien remarked to CBS Boston, "He had a smile on his face, so I think he was happy to be out." Further updates on his condition following his hospital evaluation have yet to be provided.
