Jaws of Life used to free victim of early morning accident south of Nelson
By Nelson Daily Staff
A man was taken to hospital following a single vehicle accident Friday morning on Highway 6 south of the Heritage City Nelson Fire Rescue said in a media release.
Nelson Fire Rescue received the report at 6:59 a.m. Friday that a vehicle rolled over into Cottonwood Creek on Highway 6 near Perrier Road. Both on-duty members responded immediately followed by two additional members responding to the station from home.
“Upon arrival of the first crew, a pickup truck was observed laying on its side, in the creek, with the driver still trapped in the freezing-cold water,” Nelson Fire Rescue release said.
“The first arriving crew’s primary objective was to stabilize the truck and check on the occupant.
“Crews used rescue tools including the Jaws of Life to gain access to the truck’s interior, to assess and prepare the patient for extrication.”
Nelson Fire Rescue said, with the assistance of Nelson Police Department and BC Ambulance Service members on the scene, the roof of the vehicle was removed and the single male patient was brought up the steep, snowy slope of the creek.
“Hypothermic from his exposure to the cold waters, and subject to unknown injuries, he was loaded into the ambulance and transported by BCAS to Nelson’s Kootenay Lake Hospital,” Nelson Fire Rescue said.
Nelson Fire Rescue said a passenger of the truck was out of the vehicle and left the scene prior to the arrival of emergency services.
A total of four Nelson Fire Rescue firefighters responded to the incident with two fire engines and one utility vehicle.
One injury was reported as a result of this incident.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by Nelson Police Department.
“Nelson Fire & Rescue Services would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to take extra caution when driving in cold/icy conditions and to ensure the vehicle is equipped with proper snow tires.”
