By Paul Thornton
A MAN was recovering in hospital after a car fell crushing his hand while he was trying to change a wheel.
The 57-year-old’s hand was trapped between the Mercedes Benz and a car jack for around 20 minutes after the accident in Kirkliston, West Lothian, yesterday morning.
Emergency workers said the tool slipped, plunging the vehicle onto his hand while he was changing a wheel on Carlowrie Farm Road at around 8.50am.
Firefighters had to use high pressure inflatable bags to lift the car off the man’s hand and paramedics raced him to hospital after giving him morphine for the pain.
A spokesperson for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue said: “We received a call from the ambulance service involving a male that was changing a wheel on his car.
“The jack had slipped and his hand had become caught between the jack and the car.
“Firefighters from Crewe Toll in Edinburgh and South Queensferry stations attended and lifted the vehicle using high pressure airbags and gave him oxygen until the ambulance attended.
“At 9.09am we received a message to say that the casualty had been released.”
Last night ambulance staff said he was being treated for crush injuries to his hand after being taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
A spokesman said: “He was given morphine and fluid and taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to be treated for crush injuries.”
