Engineer rescued from 30ft above M6 in Black Country
An engineer has to be rescued from a precarious position after he was taken ill while working 30ft off the ground on a major motorway renovation project.
The worker became stuck and was unable to move when he suffered painful back spasms while working on the M6 project.
The rescue bid took more than two hours to complete before he was able to be taken to hospital for a check up.
Firefighters and paramedics were involved in the dramatic rescue of the man from a platform underneath the elevated section of the M6 and M5 at Great Barr.
West Midlands Ambulance Service revealed images showcasing the difficulties of yesterday's rescue bid at the construction site off Ray Hall Lane.
He was moved from one platform onto another and then placed onto a 'cherry picker' machine which then lowered him to the ground.
Major roadworks have been under way for weeks, taking place on the M6 junction eight which links with the M5.
Scaffolding has been erected underneath the southbound section of the motorway as part of ongoing works at the site.
Emergency services were called to the site at around 11.50am yesterday to help the man in the precarious position.
The worker, a man aged in his 40s who has not been named, had bent down to pick up a nail, officials said. But as he bent down he suffered a muscle spasm in his back'.
As he was stuck on the platform high over the ground specialist rescue teams had to be brought in to help. Rescue teams from West Midlands Fire Service and the Hazardous Area Response Team at West Midlands Ambulance service were called.
Paramedics from the hazardous area crew took over the operation as they are trained to work at height.
Crews gave him additional pain relief at the scene to stabilise his condition before loading him onto a stretcher that allowed them to manoeuvre the man more easily
Mr MacGregor added: "They then worked seamlessly with the West Midlands Fire Service Technical Rescue Team to get the man off one platform onto another where he could be placed onto a 'cherry picker' machine which then lowered him to the ground.
"The man was then taken to Sandwell Hospital for further treatment.
"This was an excellent example of close working between the two specialist teams that allowed a patient to be rescued from a precarious position," he said.
