(Newnan Times-Herald) – A man rescued after being trapped under a mini-excavator is expected to make a full recovery, according to family members.
Monday afternoon, members of the Coweta County Fire Department responded to 3680 Smokey Road where they began their search for a man reportedly trapped by farm equipment, identified as Bill Harper, according to Shift Commander Bryan Fuller with the Coweta County Fire Department.
They found Harper in the barn located on the back of the property, trapped in an excavator. He was lying on his back with both legs trapped under the excavator and surrounded by 6-foot round hay bales which made it difficult for crews to reach him, Fuller said.
Members from the fire department began to move the large hay bales and raised the cab on the excavator which allowed them to see that Harper’s legs were caught between the tracks and the cab body, according to Fuller.
Rescue personnel were able to extract his legs from the machinery and prepare him to be flown to Atlanta.
An Airlife helicopter landed in a nearby pasture and flew Harper to Grady Memorial Hospital for further treatment. He was conscious and alert but had obvious injuries to his legs, according to Fuller. The rescue lasted approximately 30 minutes.
