Mechanic pinned by machinery

A mechanic pinned beneath a two-ton piece of machinery in Otis Orchards was freed by a coworker and flown to a hospital Thursday night.

The victim, an employee of S.A. Gonzales Construction Company, was working on a portion of a front-end loader when the part fell over, pinning him to the ground, said Spokane Valley Fire officials, who rushed to help.

Firefighters would only identify the victim as a man in his late 30s, who weighed about 265 pounds. Workers of the highway construction company on Starr Lane would not talk about the incident, which occurred shortly after 5 p.m.

Because of the object’s odd shape, only the victim’s right knee and abdomen were crushed. Pinned for about 10 minutes, the victim was conscious and breathing with the assistance of an airbag as medics wheeled him on a stretcher to an awaiting helicopter.

“An employee was able to remove the equipment with a chain hoist,” said Capt. Andy Rorie of the Spokane Valley Fire Department. “His vitals were pretty good. This type of accident can cause serious injuries and we might not know how bad they are right away.”

Rorie said it was the victim’s father, also a Gonzales employee, who removed the heavy object.