craigdailypress.com

A 22-ton crane at Colowyo Coal Co. tipped over Thursday morning, trapping the driver for more than 30 minutes while rescue crews worked to extract him.

The driver, whose name was not released, was not injured, according to a statement from Rio Tinto Energy, the company that manages Colowyo.

The crane was traveling along an access road at the mine south of Craig when it hit a soft spot, causing it to tip over, according to the statement.

Bob Green, a spokesman for Rio Tinto, said the driver, who has been a certified crane operator for six years, was doing basic maintenance work when the accident occurred.

When the crane tipped over, it jammed the door of the cab, trapping the driver, according to the statement.

Colowyo's emergency res--ponse team was the first on the scene, but Craig Fire/Rescue and the Meeker Volunteer Fire Department were called because the driver had to be extracted from the crane's cab, according to the statement.

"They knew that it was a heavy rescue situation," said Bill Johnston, Craig Fire/Rescue deputy chief.

Crews used extraction tools, including hydraulic cutters and airbags to free the driver from the cab, Johnston said.

It took crews 36 minutes to extract the driver, which is pretty good for a heavy equipment extraction, Johnston said.

Johnston said The Memorial Hospital Emergency Medical Service crews took the driver to the hospital in Craig.

Johnston said the different agencies worked well together to quickly extract the crane's driver.

Green agreed, saying: "This effort represented an excellent example of the collaborative efforts between Colowyo and the Craig Rural Fire Protection District and the Meeker Volunteer Fire Department to provide response services in the region of the mine."