Red-faced politician stuck in ceremony digger
A German politician ended up trapped in a toppled-over 40-tonne digger at a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the beginning of a new road project. His minders pulled him out through a smashed window.
Bavarian state Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann, had been invited to kick off construction of a new road in the rural Allgäu area.
He managed to get into the digger's cabin without mishap, and was preparing to dig up the first clump of earth when the vehicle fell over, trapping Herrmann inside.
His two bodyguards and the digger driver rushed to help the 56-year-old out through the front window, which had smashed, local newspaper the Augsburger Allgemeine reported on Tuesday.
Paramedics rushed the ruffled politician to privacy, treating him for minor facial scratches and a bruised ego at the nearby house of Ulrich Netzer, the mayor of Kempten – who had been involved in organising the construction of the new road.
Herrmann, who has been Bavaria’s Interior Minister since 2007 and is a member of the Christian Social Union told the paper, “I’m fine, the shock is over.”
An emergency rescue helicopter circling overhead was given the all-clear and returned to base.
The road, known as the “Kempten Nordspange” has been opposed by residents, but was given the go -ahead by authorities who say it will improve the infrastructure of the area.
The Local/jcw
Comments
See Also
Bavarian state Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann, had been invited to kick off construction of a new road in the rural Allgäu area.
He managed to get into the digger's cabin without mishap, and was preparing to dig up the first clump of earth when the vehicle fell over, trapping Herrmann inside.
His two bodyguards and the digger driver rushed to help the 56-year-old out through the front window, which had smashed, local newspaper the Augsburger Allgemeine reported on Tuesday.
Paramedics rushed the ruffled politician to privacy, treating him for minor facial scratches and a bruised ego at the nearby house of Ulrich Netzer, the mayor of Kempten – who had been involved in organising the construction of the new road.
Herrmann, who has been Bavaria’s Interior Minister since 2007 and is a member of the Christian Social Union told the paper, “I’m fine, the shock is over.”
An emergency rescue helicopter circling overhead was given the all-clear and returned to base.
The road, known as the “Kempten Nordspange” has been opposed by residents, but was given the go -ahead by authorities who say it will improve the infrastructure of the area.
The Local/jcw
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.