GLASGOW, Va. (WFXR) — A Virginia man was hospitalized after becoming trapped under a massive gun safe, the Glasgow Volunteer Fire Department said.
Firefighters said the man had been trying to unload the safe on March 9 when he fell and got pinned under the safe, which firefighters estimated to weigh about 2,000 pounds.
During the rescue, crews used airbags to stabilize the safe and free the man. He was then flown to a local hospital. Firefighters did not give an update on the man’s condition.
“This was an unusual call for service and is one that most would never think about having to overcome,” the department said on Facebook. The department said the call exemplified the dedication and readiness of the volunteer team.
Large safes can tip over if they have heavy doors, which when opened shift the balance of the weight forward and cause them to fall.
Rainier Ballistics suggests mounting gun safes to a wall stud or to the floor to prevent them from tipping over.
On average, 62 people are taken to the emergency room each year because of furniture tip-over incidents, according to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
