SAVANNAH, Tenn. — One man was killed and a fire chief was hospitalized Monday after a rockslide occurred near a cement plant quarry.
Savannah Fire Chief Steve Hudson responded to the scene, but was airlifted to a hospital after reportedly experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, reported the Courier.
Vulcan Materials employees were gathering rock from the base of a sheer rock wall when large rocks began to crash down, crushing the track hoe and the operator inside.
Hardin County Assistant Fire Chief Richard Guardino, who was also called to the scene, estimated the total weight of the falling rock to be between two and four tons, adding one rock was about the size of half a car.
Guardino said that Hudson made his way to an ambulance on scene after feeling ill.
“One of my guys came over to me and told me (Hudson) was in the ambulance, asking for me,” Guardino said.
“Chief Hudson started feeling the symptoms of a heart attack and was airlifted to Vanderbilt in Nashville. He had a heart attack before, so he know the symptoms to look for,” Savannah Assistant City Manager C. Seth Sumner said.