Overview

• The excavator tipped into a trench around 8:30 a.m. near the hospital’s water tower, trapping the operator under its arm.
• Oak Forest Fire Department crews and mutual-aid teams pulled the worker free by 9:55 a.m. and rushed them to a nearby hospital.
• Initial dispatchers described the machinery as a crane before on-scene officials identified it as a CAT medium tracked excavator.
• Authorities have not disclosed the extent of the worker’s injuries and the individual remains under medical evaluation.
• Oak Forest Hospital’s development leadership is reviewing equipment classification and site safety protocols to prevent future incidents.