Monbulk and Wandin CFA help rescue trapped passenger near Matlock
An afternoon father and son driving lesson in the Yarra Ranges went terribly wrong after a family’s car flipped down an embankment in dense bushland. Now a man is in hospital with spinal injuries.
Outer East
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A Maribyrnong father is in hospital with spinal injuries after a Sunday afternoon driving lesson went wrong.
The man’s 17-year-old son was driving along Woods Point Rd when the teen overcorrected the steering wheel while driving around a right-hand bend between Matlock and Woods Point about 12.45pm on Sunday, February 16.
Warburton police leading Senior Constable Tony Pagels said the father had taken his son out for a driving lesson when the shocking accident happened.
He said the car rolled down a steep embankment and flipped numerous times, trapping the 54-year-old, who was flown to hospital and remains at The Alfred with spinal injuries.
Monbulk and Wandin firefighters, paramedics and State Emergency Service members worked to rescue the pair.
Monbulk CFA captain Simon Schroder said the car had gone off the edge of a steep, windy road, ending up 50m down a 40 degree slope, in an area with “absolutely” no phone reception.
Mr Schroder said the driver managed to get out of the car and climb up to the road to flag down a passer-by for help.
Crews from both brigades drove the 150km before they arrived at the scene about 3.15pm, where they were also met by crews from Morwell, Dandenong and Woods Point CFA brigades, and several SES units.
Mr Schroder said his brigade were used to doing rescues, having the equipment needed for steep angle rope rescues, but this was “up there” with one of the hardest they’d done.
They sent five of the team of about 30 rescuers down the hill to forcibly remove the side of the car so the passenger, who had suspected spinal injuries, could be placed on a stretcher.
The man was lifted up the hill using the ropes, before being flown to The Alfred in a stable condition with back injuries.
Ambulance Victoria confirmed the teen was taken to Maroondah Hospital in a stable condition with neck injuries.
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Mr Schroder said the rescue took about 90 minutes, and his crew didn’t return to Monbulk until about 8pm.
“It’s a long time to be stuck in a vehicle,” he said.
“But it was a very well done job.”
Wandin CFA brigade said “it was a monster team effort from all involved” on Facebook.