By Riley Bean | September 10, 2020 at 12:19 PM EDT - Updated September 10 at 12:21 PM
COLLETON COUNTY S.C. (WCSC) - The Colleton County Fire Department says they rescued a 94-year-old man after he accidentally overturned a tractor while mowing his grass in the town of Smoaks.
First responders say the man was trapped under his tractor after the piece of equipment rolled down an embankment shortly after 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Firefighters say they were dispatched to the 100 block of South Carolina Highway 217 in Smoaks where friends and family directed them approximately 900 feet along the dike to the where the tractor was located.
They say the man was working alone, mowing grass on a dike surrounding a large pond when the tractor apparently got too close to the edge and overturned.
The crews say rescue tools and air bags were deemed inadequate because of all the water and mud around the scene, but equipment was eventually hauled by pickup trucks into the location using a winch rigged to a tree. (Source: Colleton County Fire Department)
First responders say fortunately the man had a cellphone with him and was able to call for assistance after the tractor landed at the water’s edge and pinned the victim’s leg under the tractor’s side cutter.
The man was found to be in stable condition and firefighters say they used shovels to begin digging under the tractor in an attempt to free the man’s leg.
The crews say rescue tools and air bags were deemed inadequate because of all the water and mud around the scene, but equipment was eventually hauled by pickup trucks into the location using a winch rigged to a tree.
Finally a backhoe was able to get to the incident and first responders say they were able to dig out enough mud to free the man after about 30 minutes.
The man was carried out of the field by firefighters and EMS says they transported the victim to Colleton Medical center.
Copyright 2020 WCSC. All rights reserved.