FIRECREWS from Princetown and Yelverton battled for three hours to rescue a lorry driver early Tuesday morning, trapped after his 30-tonne vehicle overturned near the Two Bridges Hotel.
Neil Knapman, who was trapped from the neck down, was given pain relief in the cab of the vehicle while firecrews struggled to release him.
The Princetown to Tavistock road was closed by police for six-and-a-half hours and diversions were put in place after the articulated lorry, carrying a full load of giant logs, crashed into a wall at about 6.30am.
Princetown fire crew was first on the scene and was faced with a rescue which called for clear heads and teamwork said station commander Brett Johnson.
'None of the crew at Princetown has ever had to deal with an HGV before, specially an artic,' he said.
'We had to use virtually every piece of rescue equipment we had to get him out.
'The equipment we have will rip through cars in minutes — with the lorry we had to stop and think a bit. A lorry is a big hefty piece of kit. We had a few problems, it was slow going.'
Mr Johnson said the lorry was tipped over on the driver's side and the rescue involved cutting the roof off the cab and trying to get the steering wheel and dashboard off the driver's legs.
'It was a long time to be trapped in a vehicle, it must have been a very frightening experience to see that equipment literally inches from him at times,' said Mr Johnson.
Firefighter Henry Melle from Princetown led the 'physical rescue'.
Mr Johnson said: 'Henry was actually in the cab with the casualty — he deserves a pat on the back, he did a hell of a job.'
In addition to the 'brilliant' teamwork of the Princetown and Yelverton crews, Mr Johnson also had praise for an unknown member of the public who was one of the first on the scene.
He said: 'Before we got there, the engine had really been racing. This chap knew about HGVs and had taken it down to a tick-over. Whoever he was, we'd like to thank him.'
John German of Yelverton's fire crew said their heavy duty cutting equipment was invaluable in the rescue.
'It's got almost twice the cutting and lifting power of anything else in the brigade,' said Mr German.
'We had three power rams working just to try and give us a bit more room to get him out.'
Divisional Officer Charlie Huitson praised the 'magnificent' team work of all the services during a 'very protracted and difficult rescue'.
He said: 'It was really an evolving plan to get the guy out. There was a collective sigh of relief when we got him out.
'The crews did a magnificent job.
'I think the driver was a very relieved man. He was lucky that no-one else was coming around that bend — a lot of schoolchildren walk that way to catch the bus — it doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened.'
Devon Fire and Rescue's 'environmental pod' had to be called out from Plymouth to deal with the problem of fuel leaking near the river.
It returned to the scene later in the day when crews carried out final clearance work.
Dr Brian Steggles from TAMEDS was on the scene from around 7am.
He said: 'Certainly in 20 years it was the most difficult exercise I have ever been involved in. It was amazing — he was completely trapped from the neck down.
'There was superb co-operation and very hard work done by the fire and rescue services to get him out.'
Mr Knapman was flown to Derriford Hospital in the police helicopter — despite the difficult rescue, he escaped with just a broken wrist.