Car ploughs into electricity pylon
A DRAMATIC rescue was launched when a woman driver collided with an electricity pole, leaving her unconscious and surrounded by live cables.
The 62-year-old woman was airlifted to hospital with serious head injuries after her silver Suzuki SX4 collided with the pole beside the B1454 Docking Road, Sedgeford, at around 11.30am on Tuesday.
But, purely by chance, help was at hand when fireman Steve Keen, a Retained Support Officer, happened to drive past on his way to Heacham
just a few minutes later.
Mr Keen (36), based in Fakenham, gave the woman first aid and offered reassurance to her and her distressed dog until help could arrive.
He said: "I could see the power lines were down and on top of the car, which was obviously my main concern. I had to make sure I wasn't going to get 11,000 volts through me.
"The woman was struggling for breath because of her injuries and the position she was in, so I had to open her airway.
It was a serious accident and time critical. It was really fortunate
I was there.
"I could feel her pulse but the bleeding was not good.
She didn't regain consciousness but I spoke to her to try and reassure her."
Fire crews from Hunstanton and Sandringham freed the woman, after removing the car door.
Mr Keen pulled on the fire gear he had with him in his car to help the crews, ambulance staff and the emergency medical charity Magpas, and
then went to work.
The woman was taken by air ambulance to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge in a "serious" condition and police closed the road in both directions and put a diversion in place while the emergency services worked.
EDF Energy engineers were called to the scene and 374 customers lost power.
A spokesman said: "Engineers restored power to 325 customers by 1.10pm and to the remaining customers affected by 3.20pm. Extensive
repairs were carried out on site so that power could be restored, and we are due to return for further work at a later date."
The dog, thought to have been a lurcher, was distressed and did not want to get out of the car, but was unhurt, Mr Keen said.
A Norfolk police spokesman said the Suzuki was travelling towards Hunstanton and PC Philip Palmer, from the Swaffham road policing unit, would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident, or with information about it, on 0845 456 4567.
Eight new Retained Support Officers (RSOs) began work in Norfolk last month, travelling around the county to provide fire cover wherever
it is needed.
Mr Keen, watch manager at Watton, covers Lynn, Sandringham, Massingham, Heacham and Hunstanton.
Email to a friend
Print this page - Popular
- Most comments
- Most shared
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Local pages
Looking for a...
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Kings Lynn
Sunday 01 August 2010
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
