A WORKMAN has been taken to hospital with head injuries following an industrial incident at a building site in Branksome.

At around 12.20pm emergency services were called to the building site of an apartment block on St Aldhelms Road, next to the supermarket Lidl.

A spokesman from the South Western Ambulance Service said a man was taken to Poole Hospital after he fell approximately four feet from a crane onto a scaffolding platform.

He said: “One male casually was taken to hospital with head injuries and a cut to his face.

He added: “A spinal board and a head collar were used as a precaution.”

Firefighters from Westbourne, Redhill Park and technical rescue teams from Poole Fire Station scrambled to the scene and used an aerial platform to reach the casualty.

A spokesman from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said: “Firefighters got to work using the aerial ladder platform and rescued the casualty using a basket stretcher.  The Casualty was then transported to hospital by Ambulance.”

Following the incident, the A35 Poole Road was closed from the LV roundabout at County Gates to Redlands Roundabout at John Lewis. The road has now been fully reopened.

Dan Stoodley, a mechanic at Eden Vauxhall, which sits opposite the building site, witnessed the man being rescued by firefighters.

He said: “I was working out the back at the time. We didn’t even hear the sirens.

“By the time I looked out the crane from the fire engine was already up and the man was being dealt with by the paramedics.

“It is very shocking. We get ambulances going by all the time because it’s such a busy road but you don’t expect to hear about something like this.

“We hope he’s OK.”

Bournemouth Echo:

Sharon Canning, owner of Move On Rentals, which also sits opposite the building site, said she saw the crane at the site operating shortly before the emergency services arrived.

She said: “We were having a meeting and the crane was going backwards and forwards. We closed the blinds because it was so distracting.

“About fifteen minutes later we heard the ambulances.

She added: “You always hear sirens along here but you don’t expect to see them right outside.”

A spokesman from Dorset Police said the Health and Safety Executive have been made aware of the incident.