MONTREAL -- The driver of a snow groomer at a Saguenay ski hill was rushed to hospital on Sunday after spending several hours trapped in his vehicle at the edge of a ravine.
Police said the man suffered hypothermia and they fear for his life.
According to Saguenay police the snow groomer tipped over at 3 a.m. while the driver was doing work on the slopes of Mont-Belu.
A tree pierced the vehicle, trapping the man without heating. Temperatures in the area dropped to -28 overnight.
The driver’s colleagues didn’t realize the man was missing until 8 a.m.
Firefighters, police and ski hill employees mobilized to rescue the victim.
“It wasn’t easy, we had to bring in several pieces of heavy machinery stored in different locations in the city,” said police spokesperson Marc Simard. “It was the mobilization of several people that made the difference."
A mechanical shovel was used to remove the man from the snow groomer. He was then rushed to hospital suffering from severe frostbite.
The CNESST has launched an investigation into the incident.
