Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) responded at 4.29am to reports of a serious crash involving a heavy goods vehicle in Gravesend. Upon arrival, firefighters found that the lorry had broken through the roadside barrier and ended up submerged in a water-filled ditch or canal.
To manage the complex rescue, six fire engines and two specialist water safety units were deployed to the scene. Crews worked under difficult conditions using hydraulic cutters, rams, and swift water rescue equipment to free the trapped driver inside the lorry.
One person was successfully rescued and handed over to South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) for urgent medical treatment. No further details about the driver’s condition have been released.
Kent Police and local council officers quickly secured the area, which remained cordoned off throughout the rescue and recovery operation.
A KFRS spokesperson said, “Firefighters wearing drysuits and equipped with water safety tools worked in challenging conditions to access and remove the casualty. This was a coordinated multi-agency response to a very serious incident.”
Emergency services stood down at approximately 7.13am, but 1 Way will remain partially closed for several hours while the lorry is recovered and safety inspections are completed.
Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage of the incident to come forward. They can call 101 quoting incident reference 240726-0429.
Originally published by UKNIP.
