Firefighters 'relieved' man can walk after car crumpled in lorry crash on A38 in Devon

Firefighters say they are 'relieved' a man they helped to rescue from a crash is able to walk.

The collision involved a Volkswagen Passat and a Volvo HGV lorry on the A38 between Ivybridge and Wrangaton yesterday (July 5).

Fire crews shared images of the aftermath of the crumpled vehicle, which a man in his 50s had become trapped in.

Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the driver is being treated in Derriford Hospital, but has not sustained life-changing or life-threatening injuries.

The crash happened at around 1.15pm and the westbound carriageway was closed for around five hours while roads policing team officers examined the scene.

Police, South Western Ambulance Service, Devon Air Ambulance and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service all worked at the scene to help free the man. The driver of the HGV was uninjured.

Buckfastleigh Fire Station shared images of the car, which had both its doors and roof removed so the man could be extracted.

Buckfastleigh Fire Station said: "We found the car to be wedged underneath the rear of the lorry with the male driver trapped within.

"Following a thorough risk assessment we decided to free all items from the lorry attached to the car and gently move the lorry forward and free from the vehicle.

"Throughout the incident the driver was constantly monitored and cared for by members of the air ambulance and paramedics on scene.

"Once we had the space we could then remove the roof and doors from the car freeing the driver who had received a number of injuries during the collision.

"But we were relieved to see him able to walk with help from his car to an awaiting ambulance and we wish him a full and quick recovery."

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson added: "The westbound carriageway was closed for around five hours for roads policing team officers to examine the scene and for the vehicles to be recovered.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash and appealing for any witnesses who were in the area at the time to contact them via email on 101@dc.police.uk or by calling 101 and quoting log 379 of 05/07/22.