Firefighters struggle over rough terrain to pull the crash victim to safety. Photo credit: OnScene.TV
Rescuers pulled a man from an overturned vehicle Sunday after the car went off Interstate 8 and careened up to 100 feet into Pine Valley Creek Gorge.
A witness called 911 to report the wreck of the eastbound vehicle at about 9:30 a.m., according to OnScene.TV. The California Highway Patrol responded, along with crews from CalFire and the Viejas Fire Department.
When firefighters made their way to the wreckage, they found the the roof crushed with the victim’s arm pinned.
The rescue took over two hours as crews faced serious challenges while cutting the victim free. At one point the wreck started to shift, requiring a tow truck to be brought in to secure the car with a tow cable to keep it from sliding farther into the canyon.
Part of the distance firefighters had to cover in their rescue of the crash victim. Photo credit: OnScene.TV
After they freed the driver, they brought him back to the road via a pulley system. Medics transported him by helicopter to Sharp Memorial Hospital with moderate injuries.
A firefighter also needed to be treated at a local hospital for dehydration. Temperatures reached the 80’s in the canyon.
The car also took out a windsock and 80 feet of chainlink fencing on its way over the edge.