Alabama Smokestack Falls on Excavator; Driver Survives

[kellyhound]

AVONDALE MILLS, AL An excavator operator is lucky to be alive after a smokestack scheduled for demolition crashed on top of him in Alabama.

Tim Phifer watched with others in Avondale Mills as the demolition of the city landmark failed. That is when he got inside his excavator and went to work.

"At that point, I had brick hanging. It was going to have to come down one way or another," he says.

Cameras were rolling as Phifer began digging at the base of the smokestack in an effort to bring it down. Suddenly, a shower of bricks rained down on the excavator as the tower collapsed.

Skybama captured video via drone showing the breathtaking and perilous moment.

Phifer says he was safer inside the cab of the excavator than outside, but that divine intervention saved his life.

"God blesses me," he says.

http://abc13.com/news/video-man-surv...ition/1098947/

[gatagato]

At first glance, it looked to be a very strange way to do the job (obviously it's NOT the proper method for taking that fuck down), but apparently they had to do so after two explosive charges failed to implode. Lucky and brave man, but not the brightest bulb in the box.

[Oswald2001]

It was redneck tomfoolery.

[Kelseecat65]

Wow...lucky guy.

[nyazzip]

i hope they lose their demolition licenses; seems obvious they are a menace to themselves and the public

[rob666]

I can't believe that guy was dumb enough to try it, holy fucking Darwin Award

[vagabond]

Like chopping the wrong side of the tree, or something...