Worker rescued after warehouse racking collapses near Hinstock

A forklift truck driver has walked free from the devastated insides of a warehouse after an accident that saw tonnes of good come down on top of him leaving him trapped for around eight hours.

Emergency crews from across Shropshire and beyond were called to Edwards Transport, a storage and distribution company, on Hatton Road, near Hinstock at around 9.40am.

They found that huge shelving which contained goods ready for distribution had collapsed, causing parts of the 60 meter warehouse to bulge at the the sides.

It then became clear that one of the Forklift Truck drivers who had been working in the warehouse was unaccounted for and rescue teams were called in. Rescue dogs, specialist equipment and a drone were used as part of the search to locate the missing man.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “One patient was treated at the scene for the effects of shock while fire and ambulance staff assessed the situation so that a rescue attempt could be mounted.

“Firefighters from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service were joined by specialist Urban Search and Rescue teams from West Midlands, Merseyside, and Leicestershire.

“They were joined by staff from West Mercia Police and the Health and Safety Executive. The operation was co-ordinated using the new WMAS Command Vehicle which has only recently entered service and provides the latest multi-agency working platform.

“Astonishingly, after so long trapped under the contents of the warehouse, the worker was able to walk out of the warehouse. He was then assessed by the paramedics from HART and was subsequently taken to Princess Royal Hospital as a precaution, but he appears uninjured.

“This is an excellent example of inter-agency cooperation that demonstrates the value of close cooperation and joint working.”

Shropshire Fire and rescue said it was the biggest search operation in their history.

Thirteen fire appliances including the Aerial Ladder Platform, the Incident Support Unit and the Rescue Tender were mobilised from Hodnet, Market Drayton, Prees, Shrewsbury, Telford Central, Tweedale and Wellington along with Operations and Hazmat officers.

An ambulance, a BASICS Emergency Doctor, the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford with the MERIT trauma doctor on board were sent along with two paramedic officers and the Hazardous Area Response Team.