A teenage construction worker is in Southland Hospital after being crushed by a concrete slab at Fonterra's Edendale dairy factory yesterday morning.
Callum Shaw (18) was working in a trench at the factory when a slab, believed to weigh more than a tonne, fell on him just after 11am, Sergeant Ian Temple, of Gore, said.
Sgt Temple understood Mr Shaw suffered "crushing" chest injuries.
A digger had lifted the slab off the man by the time emergency services arrived.
St John Ambulance staff treated Mr Shaw at the site before he was taken to Southland Hospital, with serious injuries, for assessment.
He was last night in a serious but stable condition in the critical care unit, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Department of Labour Invercargill service manager John Pannett confirmed the man was injured when a large concrete block "collapsed the side of trench and pinned a worker".
An Occupational Health and Safety investigation started yesterday into the accident, which occurred at the construction site of the fourth powder drier.
A Fonterra spokeswoman said the company and the contractor's employer would be providing information to the Department of Labour.
Edendale volunteer firefighters, police and St John Ambulance staff attended the accident.
