Ice Road Rescue (2015–…): Season 7, Episode 6 - Triple Jeopardy - full transcript
Jo Roger's takes on three rescues with a team of new rescuers. Getting off to a bad start, their most powerful truck gets stuck.
CHRISTOFFER: Sometimes it looks like we
take very big chances.
But we need to do it to get
the job done, no matter what.
CHRISTOFFER: ****!
NARRATOR: These Norwegian
roads are some of
Europe's most dangerous.
Whether it's in the
northern wilderness
or the southern fjords,
drivers face down
hostile conditions.
THORD: Stop, stop!
People are crazy!
NARRATOR: It's enough to
send even the best of them,
over the edge.
THORD: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
NARRATOR: Throughout Norway,
an elite force of rescuers
keeps the country on the move,
during one of the
most unpredictable
winters in decades.
CHRISTOFFER: Today is a windy
day up on the mountain.
NARRATOR: Freak weather brings
extra danger on the roads.
THORD: Oh!
NARRATOR: And to the rescues.
BJØRN: The wind, we
need a bucket roll over.
NARRATOR:
Forcing them to unite.
THORD: Well, the
best team is together.
NARRATOR:
More than ever before.
THORD: Hey!
Life is good in the mountains.
BJØRN: Ai, ai, ai.
(speaking native language).
THORD: Right now you
feel you're alive.
This year, everything is
bigger and tougher,
but I'm ready, bring it on.
NARRATOR: Norway's Ice Road
Rescuers are a breed apart.
Working all hours, in all
conditions, relying on
each other for success.
In the South, when truckers
hit trouble, they turn to
two of the best rescue
bosses in the business.
Bjorn Laegreid
and Thord Paulsen.
THORD: This winter I
have a lot of challenges.
NARRATOR: Thord runs a rescue empire
with a fleet of 20 tow trucks.
THORD: I have a lot of big
rescues and bad weather.
NARRATOR: But now he partners
with Bjorn, who brings
experience from 34
seasons of big truck rescue.
BJØRN: Thord and me are helping
each other as much as we can.
THORD: We not get
there old and slow.
THORD: Right, Bjoern?
BJØRN: Yes.
NARRATOR: In Eidfjord,
Bjorn's in his garage.
(phone ringing).
BJØRN: Hello?
NARRATOR: It's Thord calling,
all his crews are committed on
other rescues,
he needs Bjorn's help.
BJØRN: I get the phone
from Thord that it's a man
struggling with his
truck in the tunnel.
BJØRN: I'll come immediately.
NARRATOR: On Route 134,
the road linking the western port
of Haugesund, with the capital
Oslo, a car transporter has
been forced to
stop mid-tunnel.
The truck entered the tunnel
when a snow-chain on the
trailer's nearside wheel
came loose, span round,
then smashed into the
bodywork bending a
metal panel up into the tire.
The chain then jammed tight
around the gap between
the two wheels.
As the wheel locked,
the trailer began to skid
forcing the driver to stop.
The truck now blocks one lane
of the 4.6 kilometer tunnel.
BJØRN: I don't know so much
about the accident, I know
I have to go up and see
what the problem is.
NARRATOR: The accident is in
the south of Thord's territory,
118 kilometers away.
Bjorn's got a
long drive ahead.
BJØRN: I think one and
a half hours driving.
BJØRN: Here it is.
Oh, ****!
BJØRN: When I arrive I see
a truck that's standing and
I stop and I see he has a
problem, so I try to help him.
BJØRN: Hello.
DRIVER: I've broken one chain.
NARRATOR: The driver tells
Bjorn he's on a deadline to
deliver the cars to Haugesund,
two hours drive away.
BJØRN: Oh, ****!
NARRATOR: But he's not the
only one on a tight schedule.
The Road Authority has closed
the tunnel for the rescue,
and need it re-opened.
Bjorn's under pressure
to get the job done.
BJØRN: Problem is this,
destroy this cutting between
the wheel and the
chassis that's broken.
NARRATOR: Snow-chains,
called Kjetting in Norwegian,
are vital winter equipment
for grip on ice and snow.
But if they come loose,
they cause big problems.
To get the chain free, Bjorn
must bend back the metal plate
that's wedged
against the trailer tire.
BJØRN: Lower, I think just
something here that we can
take it back, then
see if we can move it.
NARRATOR: He gets a steel
rod and a sledge-hammer.
BJØRN: This iron is hard so we have
to try to do different things.
And the max height?
(speaking native language).
NARRATOR: Bjorn checks that
the trailer's air suspension
can't be raised for
extra clearance.
BJØRN: No, we need to stop.
NARRATOR: The metal's too
strong, but Bjorn thinks
he's got the solution.
BJØRN: I will try with some
straps, hopefully that works.
NARRATOR: His plan is to take
a strap from the wheel, run it
around the chassis, then
attach it to the metal plate.
When the wheel turns, the straps
should pull the metal back.
It's a good plan.
BJØRN: ****!
NARRATOR: But Bjorn now
discovers he hasn't got
the right straps.
He asks the driver.
BJØRN: Do you have
any long straps?
Pull-up?
DRIVER: No.
BJØRN: ****!
How we gonna find a solution?
NARRATOR: The tunnel's closed,
the truck's going nowhere and
Bjorn's got a big problem.
BJØRN: ****!
NARRATOR:
He calls Thord for help.
BJØRN: Do you have any
ratchet straps in your truck?
Yes.
NARRATOR: Thord passed this
rescue on to Bjorn because
he was busy,
he's now heading home.
THORD: I'm on my way now.
NARRATOR: But instead,
turns his truck around.
THORD: OK. Bye.
THORD: I have to help Bjorn
a little bit because he don't
have any jack-strap in his
truck, so I need help him a
little bit so he
can get this away.
NARRATOR: There's nothing Bjorn
can do until Thord arrives.
BJØRN: ****!
BJØRN: I have to wait for
Thord 'cause he has some
big straps in his car.
NARRATOR: But patience is
not one of Bjorn's virtues.
BJØRN: ****!
NARRATOR: 1,000 kilometers
north in Overhalla,
there's big news in
the family business.
26 year old road
rescuer, Ole Henrik,
has become a father.
OLE HENRIK: This is the next
generation of road trucker.
JO ROGER: Ole Henrik has
become a father this winter
and I have become
a proud granddad.
JO ROGER: Are you
going to sleep all day?
NARRATOR: Ole Henrik's taking
time off with girlfriend,
Anna, to be with the baby.
But for Jo Roger,
it's back to business.
Responsible for keeping 1,700
kilometers of road open,
and with his second-in-command,
Ole Henrik, out of action,
Jo Roger's working harder
than ever, and relying on
his young team to
get the jobs done.
It's mid-afternoon,
rookie rescuers,
Christoffer and
Torstein, are in charge.
(phone ringing).
TORSTEIN: Torstein speaking.
Yes.
NARRATOR: Torstein takes
details of the call-out.
TORSTEIN: We have seen some
pictures of the accident.
The trailer is lying on its
side and the truck is also
in the deep ditch.
NARRATOR: The accident
happened on a remote road
that runs towards
the Swedish border.
The tipper truck was
transporting 14 tons of sand
and towing a six
ton excavator.
The trailer started to slide
over the road edge and
down the bank.
Gaining momentum, it
swung the truck behind it,
then crashed over.
The driver was lucky.
The trailer stopped the truck
from falling further towards
a frozen lake.
But even close to the road,
this will be a difficult rescue.
TORSTEIN: So, we bring
little rotator truck and
the big rescue truck.
NARRATOR: It's 31-year-old
Christoffer's first full
season and he takes the
rotator truck with its
360 degree turntable crane.
Torstein's new to the garage,
but has ten years' experience
as a mechanic.
He's in Jo Roger's
heavyweight tow truck.
CHRISTOFFER: Normally, this
is a job Bjorn or Gary
would take, but he trust
us to do this ourselves.
It's a long drive, so it's
going to be late afternoon
before we arrive.
NARRATOR: Two hours later,
the rescuers are on scene.
It's getting dark but
still easy to see how big
a challenge they're facing.
CHRISTOFFER: We have just
arrived and we see a truck,
a trailer and
an excavator in the ditch.
This is gonna take some time.
NARRATOR: First job
is to make a plan.
CHRISTOFFER:
There's not a lot of space.
It's going to be hard if
you want to get past it.
CHRISTOFFER: It's only one way
to do this and we need to get
the rotator truck
on the other side.
TORSTEIN: You need to
drive it around and up here.
CHRISTOFFER: This is a
dead-end road, and there
is no other way around.
NARRATOR: The heavy truck
needs lifting from both sides,
so they'll take the rotator
through the small gap between
the tipper and the ditch.
The red tow truck can
then come in close.
The rotator will run one winch
wire to the tipper truck's
rear wheel, the red truck
running a line to the front.
This will anchor the tipper as
the rotator truck swings the
back end onto the road.
CHRISTOFFER: We are going
to get the rotator tow truck
behind the truck here.
We know this is risky, but we
need to get our rotator truck
on the other side.
NARRATOR: Plan in place,
time to put ideas into action.
Christoffer takes
the driving seat.
CHRISTOFFER: I'm grabbing the
steering-wheel and stepping on it.
This has to work,
no matter what.
NARRATOR: The rotator truck
weighs 21 tons, Christoffer's
gambling that the
ground is hard enough.
CHRISTOFFER: ****!
TORSTEIN: This is a nightmare.
BJØRN: ****!
NARRATOR: In the South,
Bjorn's trying to clear a
tunnel blocked by
a car transporter.
A snow-chain sheared,
then tore a metal plate
from the trailer chassis
bending its sharp
edge against the tire.
BJØRN: I will try with
some straps, maybe,
hopefully that's work.
NARRATOR: Bjorn plans to use
a strong strap to force it back,
but he hasn't got one.
BJØRN: ****!
NARRATOR: So Thord's
coming to his rescue.
THORD: I will meet along
somewhere from Eidfjord.
Now I will see if he
is happy or angry or.
NARRATOR: It takes Thord
30 minutes to bring the
straps to Bjorn.
Now, the rescue can begin.
BJØRN: Hello.
NARRATOR: Bjorn's plan is to
fasten the ratchet strap to
the wheel rim to
bend the metal back.
When the trailer reverses,
the strap will tension and
straighten the metal.
THORD: Bjorn is trying to
get this chassis away from
the wheel, if not the
tire's gonna explode.
So I think we
only have to start.
I think this is a good plan.
NARRATOR: Bjorn
directs the driver.
BJØRN: You drive slowly back.
DRIVER: Drive back, yeah?
BJØRN: Slowly, very slowly.
NARRATOR: The strap can
take a two ton load,
but they'll need to increase
tension in small steps.
THORD: Ya!
Little bit back.
THORD: A bit more, very easy.
Yes.
DRIVER: A bit more?
THORD: Yes
NARRATOR: The strap slips.
BJØRN: It's hard as rock.
NARRATOR: So Thord
ratchets up the tension.
THORD: This is complicated,
so we have to be careful and
think before we do anything.
BJØRN: Yeah.
(creaking).
DRIVER: More?
BJØRN: Yes, a bit more.
(tension snaps).
THORD: Oh, ****!
NARRATOR: In Overhalla,
there's a tipper truck,
trailer and excavator
waiting to be rescued.
But rookies Christoffer
and Torstein are in deep trouble.
TORSTEIN: This won't work,
it can't get past.
CHRISTOFFER: ****,
there's no point to this
NARRATOR: They need to get the
rotator truck to the other side,
but the temperature is
unseasonably high, around zero.
The ditch should be solid
ice, instead it's a stream.
CHRISTOFFER: The ditch was
much softer than we thought,
so we need to
rethink this plan.
CHRISTOFFER: We'll
have to find another way.
NARRATOR: But first they need
to rescue their own tow truck.
Torstein pulls
the rotator back.
Time now, for round two.
CHRISTOFFER: This rotator
needs to be on the other side.
CHRISTOFFER: I could try to
drive far enough out
so the wheels straddle the ditch.
I'm not sure.
TORSTEIN: Do you
have any wooden planks?
MAN: Yes, we have some.
CHRISTOFFER: And put
them in the tracks?
TORSTEIN: That could work.
NARRATOR: To make more
planks, the team improvise.
The big tow trucks carries a
chainsaw, so they set to work.
CHRISTOFFER: We are trying
to cut down some logs and put
them down in the ditch, but
the ditch is very deep and
it's a lot of water.
TORSTEIN: Will they break?
CHRISTOFFER: Possibly, yes.
NARRATOR: They're taking
a risk, and a big one.
The rotator truck's
worth 110,000 Euro.
CHRISTOFFER:
It's all ready, we can go.
TORSTEIN: ****,
it's really deep!
NARRATOR: It's a second fail,
and Christoffer needs another tow out.
CHRISTOFFER: We need
to rethink this plan.
TORSTEIN: We don't
have any other options.
NARRATOR: Then,
he has an idea.
If they can lighten the tipper
truck, they could swing it
around far enough for the
rotator to squeeze past.
CHRISTOFFER: It's at least
14/15 tons of sand in this
truck, so it's very heavy.
CHRISTOFFER: We could get rid of
some of the weight at the back.
CHRISTOFFER: We have to tip
off all the sand and we need
to pull the truck sideways
so we get more room for
the rotator truck.
MAN: Shall we start it up and
try to open the tailgate?
So we can unload the sand.
CHRISTOFFER: It could work.
NARRATOR: The tailgate's jammed
shut against the trailer,
but if they pull the
tipper forward,
the tailgate should open
and off-load sand.
They reverse in the big tow
truck and attach two lines,
one front one back.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes!
NARRATOR: The tow truck
packs two 20 ton winches.
TORSTEIN: Try and
pull it harder.
NARRATOR: At first,
the plan works.
CHRISTOFFER: Is
anything happening?
NARRATOR: But not well enough.
Using only one tow truck
they can't move the tipper
far enough forward for
the sand to clear.
CHRISTOFFER: This
didn't work very well.
NARRATOR: They're now over
two hours into the rescue,
and they've nothing
to show for it.
NARRATOR: In the South,
in a tunnel near Odda,
Thord and Bjorn are tackling
a snow-chain stuck between
two wheels, a metal plate
jammed against a tire.
(tension snaps).
BJØRN: Oh, ****!
NARRATOR:
And a ratchet strap that snapped.
THORD: Oh no, now
we have problems.
NARRATOR: They have
only one strap left,
and they can't
afford it to fail.
THORD: *** this is really hard.
THORD: We have to hurry.
NARRATOR: With the Road
Authority wanting the tunnel
re-opened, the two rescue
bosses are under pressure.
They change their plan.
This time, as well as using the
strap to bend back the metal,
they also attach one
end of the snow chain
to an anchor
point on the chassis.
If they're lucky,
when the driver reverses,
the metal will bend and
the chain fall free.
THORD: Let's try again.
NARRATOR: Under Bjorn's direction,
the driver reverses slowly.
(creaking).
BJØRN: Drive forward.
THORD: Yes. There it is.
NARRATOR:
It's a double success.
The metal bends back,
the snow-chain comes loose,
and the car transporter
is ready to roll.
DRIVER: Thank you
very much, for this.
THORD: Just fix it in
Haugesund, tomorrow.
DRIVER: Ya.
BJØRN: This job went very good,
so now the driver can go on.
THORD: Let's go, Bjoern.
THORD: Everything went
fine, it's very good.
The work was perfect.
CHRISTOFFER: ****!
NARRATOR: In the far north,
over two hours in,
Christoffer and Torstein's
rescue has come to a standstill.
To tow out the tipper truck
and trailer, they need to get
the rotator to the other side.
But they can't do that because the tipper
is blocking their way.
It's stalemate,
until Torstein makes a call.
TORSTEIN: Are you close by?
NARRATOR: A contractor with
a heavy-duty front loader is
working nearby, clearing snow.
TORSTEIN: Yes.
Talk to you later.
Goodbye.
NARRATOR: Torstein thinks
he could be their savior.
TORSTEIN: Now we are
waiting a front loader,
that's gonna try to help us.
NARRATOR: With tractor tires
and high ground clearance,
the front loader should get
past the tipper truck and be
powerful enough to help tow
it out from the far side.
CHRISTOFFER: It'll be
almost like our original plan,
and we'll be able to
swing the truck around.
TORSTEIN: I think
we have to do it this way.
NARRATOR: After one hour's wait,
the front loader arrives,
and the driver wastes
no time getting across
the ditch and around the truck.
CHRISTOFFER: It sunk down
really low as well.
TORSTEIN: Yes.
CHRISTOFFER: The big wheels makes the
passing go like a dream and
finally we can start to rescue
this truck and trailer.
NARRATOR: In the new plan, the
front loader will remove its
bucket to run a wire from
the end of its arm to the tipper
truck's rear wheel.
On the other side, the red
tow truck will this time run a
wire to the
front of the tipper.
They'll then pull it forward
enough to off-load the sand.
Then, swing it
around and onto the road.
They guide the front loader into
position, then begin to rig.
It's now past 9:00.
CHRISTOFFER: Try to pull gently to see if
the tailgate will loosen up.
NARRATOR: Torstein and
Christoffer have been on site
for nearly four hours.
CHRISTOFFER: Are you ready?
TORSTEIN: Yes.
NARRATOR: They can't
afford another failure.
CHRISTOFFER: Give it a go.
NARRATOR: Torstein powers
up the red truck's winch.
The front loader bounces
on its suspension as it
tries to pull back.
But it can't get grip,
and slides on the ice.
TORSTEIN: ****!
Hold on.
Maybe we should try to
connect another wire?
Then we'll get
more pulling power.
NARRATOR: Christoffer connects
a second winch wire to the
truck's rear wheel.
CHRISTOFFER: You should
also try to pull some more.
NARRATOR: Then, encourages
the driver of the
front loader to gun it.
With three wires connected,
they try again.
♪ ♪
CHRISTOFFER: Yes, open it up!
NARRATOR: Having gained a few
centimeters, Torstein tells
the truck driver to
release the tailgate.
TORSTEIN: Start tipping it.
NARRATOR: There's now enough
clearance from the trailer to
raise the tipper body.
It offloads what's left of
the 14 ton cargo of sand.
CHRISTOFFER: Finally it works.
We make some room to get to
tip off the sand and that
makes the job much easier.
NARRATOR: Empty, the tipper
truck weighs another 14 tons.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes!
NARRATOR: But now the team
make real progress.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
TORSTEIN: Loosen it up, Christoffer.
Then he can swing it to the side.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes.
NARRATOR: The rear winch from
the red truck offers up slack,
so the front loader can
swing the tipper around.
TORSTEIN: Put on the brakes.
CHRISTOFFER: Now I think
we are on the right way.
NARRATOR: The tipper truck's
back on the road, undamaged.
CHRISTOFFER: Last part of the
pull went very well and now
the truck can go
on its next job.
NARRATOR: The driver hauls out,
but the rescue's only part done.
CHRISTOFFER: Now we got to
move and we go back and
take the trailer
and the excavator.
NARRATOR: Ten meters down
the 40 degree slope,
there's a tipped-up trailer
and six ton excavator
waiting to be recovered.
TORSTEIN: Now we go home.
TORSTEIN: No...
THORD: Not much
snow at the moment is there?
NARRATOR: In the south
of Norway, Thord and his
17-year-old son, Eirik, head
back to the garage in Odda.
(phone ringing).
EIRIK: Someone's calling.
NARRATOR: When another
emergency call comes in.
THORD: Hello.
NARRATOR: 80 kilometers away,
a bus has crashed off a
narrow coastal road.
The passengers are okay
and have transferred to
another vehicle, but the bus
is stuck deep in a ditch.
THORD: I think the problem is
that the bus driver meet one
car and they don't come past
each other, so I think they
have only one thing to
do if they don't want to
crash the car, then I think he
have to drive in the ditch.
NARRATOR: The driver had
to choose between a
head-on collision or a mud-bath.
THORD: I have to work really fast because
I know every this territory.
I know every places
which is bad to stay.
So this is not a good place.
We need to get
going and quick.
NARRATOR: The bus is on
a blind bend, blocking
the only through route.
If Thord's to work quickly
and safely, he needs back-up.
THORD: Now I gonna call to my
good man, Andrzej from Poland.
So he is coming
up and help me.
NARRATOR: For 14 years,
Andrzej's been Thord's
right-hand man.
He sets off in the big
eight-wheel drive tow truck.
They rendezvous at the crash site, then
weigh up the rescue.
THORD: I'll have
a look at the back.
THORD: And now we have a bus
with a little bit out of the
road and it's a little
bit steep in the mud.
So we have to take it
carefully so we don't
destroy anything, so...
THORD: It's touching
the ground back here.
NARRATOR: The ditch is so
deep, the bus chassis is
grounded on the tarmac.
THORD: Now I come here and see
there is a little bit steep in
the ground, and it's really
wet and it's a lot of mud.
NARRATOR: The road has
recently been re-surfaced.
THORD: ****, it's so deep.
NARRATOR: The greater
depth of tarmac has
raised the carriageway,
deepening the ditch.
THORD: Look how **** deep it is!
NARRATOR: Worse still, warmer temperatures
have brought on a thaw.
The soft ground is unable to
support the bus's 14 ton weight.
And that's not all.
THORD: ****!
Is it leaking diesel?
THORD: And now when me and
Andrzej go around, we smell
that it smells of diesel or
oil or something like this.
THORD: ****, the
diesel tank has been hit.
It's leaking from the front.
THORD: It's water going under the bus
and we see it's diesel in it.
And then I thinking maybe
the diesel tank is caput.
So then we have to towing
the bus away from this place and
this is not a good place
to tow a bus because it's
a really bad road.
Then we have a really
big work in front of us.
THORD: There must be a **** hole
in the diesel tank. There must be.
THORD: Diesel in the country
is not good for the nature.
And it's not good, if it
stop maybe burning in the bus.
THORD: But it doesn't
look like it hit anything.
****!
NARRATOR: 1,000 kilometers north,
after five hours of effort,
Christoffer and Torstein have
rescued the tipper truck,
only to start the second
stage of the rescue.
CHRISTOFFER: The trailer is
on its side with an excavator
under it, and then we also
have a big load of sand
on top of everything.
NARRATOR: The trailer is
buried under the 14 ton load
of sand they tipped out
to lighten the truck.
Below the trailer is
the six ton excavator.
CHRISTOFFER: Torstein is
trying to dig up some sand and
I'm rigging up
the rotator truck.
NARRATOR: They plan to move
the trailer first using the
extended crane winch on the
rotator truck to flip it over.
Christoffer extends the boom,
as Torstein plans the rig.
TORSTEIN:
We could attach it here.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes, let's do that.
TORSTEIN: But we have to
connect it up there as well.
CHRISTOFFER: This trailer has
very little points that
we can use to pull.
NARRATOR: To flip the trailer,
they need a strong attachment
point to withstand
the winch's power.
With a load of sand stacked
against the trailer base,
this pull will be no pushover.
CHRISTOFFER: It's been
welded both here and here.
TORSTEIN: Yes.
NARRATOR: The points where the metal
has been welded will be weak.
CHRISTOFFER: I think we'll
just have to give it a try.
NARRATOR: Christoffer and
Torstein complete the rig,
but know they're
taking a gamble.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes!
Start reeling in the wire.
NARRATOR: If anything breaks,
there could be two consequences.
One, they destroy the trailer,
and two, they put
themselves in danger.
TORSTEIN: He should keep clear.
CHRISTOFFER: Who him?
TORSTEIN: The cameraman
has to stay clear.
NARRATOR: Torstein warns that
a winch wire could snap back.
CHRISTOFFER: ****!
NARRATOR: Christoffer and Torstein have
had a narrow escape.
CHRISTOFFER: ****!
****!
NARRATOR: The connection point
on the trailer sheared clean off.
No one's hurt, but the
rescue is back to square one.
CHRISTOFFER: Sometimes it
looks like we're taking a very
big chances, but we need to
do it to get the job done
no matter what.
TORSTEIN: We would have made it if it
wasn't for that connection.
Because it was doing alright.
NARRATOR: Nearly there is
nowhere in the rescue business.
The two rookies
need to re-group.
CHRISTOFFER: Maybe we could
make a hole in the metal plate.
TORSTEIN: Yeah, I guess
we could give it a try.
NARRATOR: If they pierce
the trailer platform, they could
run a wire around
a chassis member.
CHRISTOFFER: Both me and
Torstein are certified truck
mechanics, so that comes
in good hand on this job.
NARRATOR: But sometimes even
trained mechanics have to use
the simplest of tools.
TORSTEIN: I'll go
grab the crowbar.
NARRATOR: They hack away at the
trailer platform to make a hole.
CHRISTOFFER: Let me
give it a try.
NARRATOR: With the
wire reconnected,
the two rescuers try again.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes!
♪ ♪
TORSTEIN: A little more.
Yes.
Pull full force.
That's more like it!
That's good.
NARRATOR: The trailer's
upright, but now they need to
haul it up onto the road.
CHRISTOFFER: Pull it harder.
CHRISTOFFER:
Finally something easy.
NARRATOR: Truck gone and trailer up,
makes two out of three.
But what's left presents
an even bigger challenge.
CHRISTOFFER:
Now it's excavator time.
NARRATOR: Further down
the slope, lies a six ton
excavator that's
crashed onto its side.
THORD: ****!
Is it leaking diesel?
NARRATOR: In Odda, Thord,
Eirik and Andrzej arrive to
rescue a bus that crashed
on a narrow coast road,
when Thord smelled trouble.
THORD: It can be dangerous if you
get fire, then it's not good.
NARRATOR: The bus is
leaking diesel into the ditch.
THORD: The leak is coming from that pipe!
ANDRZEJ: Yes.
THORD: We need to rescue this
bus quick because it's not
gonna stand here leaking.
NARRATOR: The leak is both a fire hazard
and bad for the environment,
and if the fuel
tank is damaged,
Thord will have to tow
the bus for repair
along the dangerous,
narrow road.
He brings in the bus driver
for a second opinion.
THORD: Is there a diesel leak here?
DRIVER: That's the filler cap.
THORD: It was a completely full tank?
DRIVER: Yes, it was.
THORD: It's only leaking
because it's leaning over.
That's a relief. Good that
someone round here's observant.
NARRATOR: Because the bus is
leaning over into the ditch,
a few liters of fuel have
spilled out of the
breather pipe in the cap.
There's still a fire risk,
but Thord can factor that
into his plan.
THORD: I want to make me
a picture how to get this out
without destroying
anything on the bus.
I want this bus to driving
from this place itself.
THORD: You can actually
stay positioned as you are.
We'll attach
a wire to the wheel.
Bringing the rear of the bus this way
and pulling it back at the same time.
NARRATOR: Andrzej and Eirik
rig chains to the wheel as
Thord does the dirty work.
THORD: It's **** deep down here.
NARRATOR: Clearing out
the ditch so it doesn't catch on
the bus bodywork, and making
a clear path for the front
wheels before they
haul the bus backwards.
THORD: Let's pull and
see how it goes.
NARRATOR: The team
are rigged and ready.
Andrzej's at the controls.
He takes up the tension while
Thord briefs the bus driver.
THORD: Have you got
your foot on the brake?
The handbrake's off?
Try pulling a
bit now, Andrzej!
Let go of the footbrake now.
THORD: Are you pulling now?
ANDRZEJ: Yes.
THORD: It's not going anywhere.
The wheels aren't moving at all.
NARRATOR: Thord checks that the
driver's following instructions.
THORD: Are you sure the handbrake is off?
DRIVER: Yes.
NARRATOR: The driver's
doing what he's told.
It's Thord's rescue
plan that's the problem.
THORD: No, no, no.
There's something wrong.
CHRISTOFFER:
Now it's excavator time.
NARRATOR: In the north,
in Overhalla, it's past midnight
and there's a six ton excavator
still on its side.
Rescue rookies
Christoffer and Torstein, have taken
over seven hours to recover
the truck and trailer.
TORSTEIN: That's good.
NARRATOR:
But the night's far from over.
CHRISTOFFER: First we need
to flip the excavator and
then we can pull
it up on the rope.
NARRATOR: They rig the rotator
truck to the excavator chassis
using heavy-duty chains.
CHRISTOFFER: The rotator is
already in position to
pull up the excavator.
NARRATOR: The rotator's
crane winch can lift ten tons.
The excavator weighs six.
But the lift is made harder
by the mounds of spilled sand
offloaded from
the tipper truck.
CHRISTOFFER: The excavator is
on these belts and we tried to
slide it up on the rope.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes.
Yes!
NARRATOR: For the final pull,
they need to reposition the
rotator to re-rig.
CHRISTOFFER:
Yeah, I think that's a good spot.
NARRATOR: They quickly
re-attach wires to the front.
The rotator's turn-table
winch now plays a vital part.
The boom swings round to
bring the excavator up
the final few meters.
CHRISTOFFER: Because of
the narrow roads, we have to tow
the excavator to our place
so it is not in the way.
NARRATOR: It's 11 hours since
the two inexperienced rescuers
arrived on site.
Not everything they've
tried has gone to plan,
but they have got the
result they needed.
CHRISTOFFER: Then we can go
home and get some food and
sleep before we head
out to work again.
THORD: No, no, no.
There's something wrong.
NARRATOR: In Odda, Thord
and his team turn detective.
The wheels on the bus are
not going round because
it's grounded out.
THORD: And now we take a lot
of woods under the bus because
we want this to climbing up on
this because then we lifting
it up, because we see that
some of the parts is in the
asphalt, and we want it a
little bit higher up so we
don't destroy anything.
So it's better using ten minutes
more and don't destroy anything.
NARRATOR: But taking
more time comes at a risk.
The bus crashed on a blind bend,
and Andrzej's winch wire
runs right across the road.
THORD: When you stand working
at the road you have to have
eyes all over.
Maybe somebody losing
the control of their car and
maybe smash you down.
So you have to always be
prepared to running away.
NARRATOR: Thord places
more wood in the ditch.
It's filled with a mixture of
mud, water and spilt diesel.
But he has to build a ramp so
the bus chassis climbs clear.
THORD: Now try
pulling again, Andrzej.
NARRATOR: With the driver at
the wheel, Andrzej winches in
and slowly the
bus starts to move.
THORD: Look!
EIRIK: They're turning?
Show me!
THORD: Now it's moving.
A bit more to the side.
Hold it.
NARRATOR: Thord's still
concerned that the bus
could ground out.
THORD: Ah, when you always
work with things like this
it's very important to have
a lot of planks with you.
NARRATOR: The team add more
wood to fill out the ditch.
And to help the bus up,
Thord treats the tarmac
to make the tires slide.
THORD: I want it to have a
little bit more slippery on
the road, because then
the bus is sliding more.
THORD: Try pulling
Andrzej, gently.
Yes, like that, continue
carefully just like that.
Wait up.
If he drives forward and turns, we can lay
some more wooden blocks.
NARRATOR: Having pulled the
bus sideways, Andrzej releases
the winch wire.
It's now for the bus
driver to haul himself out.
THORD: Yes, come on!
Just drive!
NARRATOR: The wheels find
grip on the wood blocks,
the bus is back in business.
THORD: Right, now we
are finished this work.
THORD: Not too bad
for a Wednesday evening, eh?
ANDRZEJ: That was really good.
THORD: I see that me and
Andrzej and my son is
working really good together.
Happy customer.
Not destroy anything.
This is my A team today.
It smells diesel everywhere.
It smells diesel in the
house for all of two days.
(laughs)
And now Eirik's, mother get
very happy when he is home.
Maybe need a new
washing machine.
(laughs)
So, now the best
rescue team may go home.
Captioned by
Cotter Media Group.
take very big chances.
But we need to do it to get
the job done, no matter what.
CHRISTOFFER: ****!
NARRATOR: These Norwegian
roads are some of
Europe's most dangerous.
Whether it's in the
northern wilderness
or the southern fjords,
drivers face down
hostile conditions.
THORD: Stop, stop!
People are crazy!
NARRATOR: It's enough to
send even the best of them,
over the edge.
THORD: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
NARRATOR: Throughout Norway,
an elite force of rescuers
keeps the country on the move,
during one of the
most unpredictable
winters in decades.
CHRISTOFFER: Today is a windy
day up on the mountain.
NARRATOR: Freak weather brings
extra danger on the roads.
THORD: Oh!
NARRATOR: And to the rescues.
BJØRN: The wind, we
need a bucket roll over.
NARRATOR:
Forcing them to unite.
THORD: Well, the
best team is together.
NARRATOR:
More than ever before.
THORD: Hey!
Life is good in the mountains.
BJØRN: Ai, ai, ai.
(speaking native language).
THORD: Right now you
feel you're alive.
This year, everything is
bigger and tougher,
but I'm ready, bring it on.
NARRATOR: Norway's Ice Road
Rescuers are a breed apart.
Working all hours, in all
conditions, relying on
each other for success.
In the South, when truckers
hit trouble, they turn to
two of the best rescue
bosses in the business.
Bjorn Laegreid
and Thord Paulsen.
THORD: This winter I
have a lot of challenges.
NARRATOR: Thord runs a rescue empire
with a fleet of 20 tow trucks.
THORD: I have a lot of big
rescues and bad weather.
NARRATOR: But now he partners
with Bjorn, who brings
experience from 34
seasons of big truck rescue.
BJØRN: Thord and me are helping
each other as much as we can.
THORD: We not get
there old and slow.
THORD: Right, Bjoern?
BJØRN: Yes.
NARRATOR: In Eidfjord,
Bjorn's in his garage.
(phone ringing).
BJØRN: Hello?
NARRATOR: It's Thord calling,
all his crews are committed on
other rescues,
he needs Bjorn's help.
BJØRN: I get the phone
from Thord that it's a man
struggling with his
truck in the tunnel.
BJØRN: I'll come immediately.
NARRATOR: On Route 134,
the road linking the western port
of Haugesund, with the capital
Oslo, a car transporter has
been forced to
stop mid-tunnel.
The truck entered the tunnel
when a snow-chain on the
trailer's nearside wheel
came loose, span round,
then smashed into the
bodywork bending a
metal panel up into the tire.
The chain then jammed tight
around the gap between
the two wheels.
As the wheel locked,
the trailer began to skid
forcing the driver to stop.
The truck now blocks one lane
of the 4.6 kilometer tunnel.
BJØRN: I don't know so much
about the accident, I know
I have to go up and see
what the problem is.
NARRATOR: The accident is in
the south of Thord's territory,
118 kilometers away.
Bjorn's got a
long drive ahead.
BJØRN: I think one and
a half hours driving.
BJØRN: Here it is.
Oh, ****!
BJØRN: When I arrive I see
a truck that's standing and
I stop and I see he has a
problem, so I try to help him.
BJØRN: Hello.
DRIVER: I've broken one chain.
NARRATOR: The driver tells
Bjorn he's on a deadline to
deliver the cars to Haugesund,
two hours drive away.
BJØRN: Oh, ****!
NARRATOR: But he's not the
only one on a tight schedule.
The Road Authority has closed
the tunnel for the rescue,
and need it re-opened.
Bjorn's under pressure
to get the job done.
BJØRN: Problem is this,
destroy this cutting between
the wheel and the
chassis that's broken.
NARRATOR: Snow-chains,
called Kjetting in Norwegian,
are vital winter equipment
for grip on ice and snow.
But if they come loose,
they cause big problems.
To get the chain free, Bjorn
must bend back the metal plate
that's wedged
against the trailer tire.
BJØRN: Lower, I think just
something here that we can
take it back, then
see if we can move it.
NARRATOR: He gets a steel
rod and a sledge-hammer.
BJØRN: This iron is hard so we have
to try to do different things.
And the max height?
(speaking native language).
NARRATOR: Bjorn checks that
the trailer's air suspension
can't be raised for
extra clearance.
BJØRN: No, we need to stop.
NARRATOR: The metal's too
strong, but Bjorn thinks
he's got the solution.
BJØRN: I will try with some
straps, hopefully that works.
NARRATOR: His plan is to take
a strap from the wheel, run it
around the chassis, then
attach it to the metal plate.
When the wheel turns, the straps
should pull the metal back.
It's a good plan.
BJØRN: ****!
NARRATOR: But Bjorn now
discovers he hasn't got
the right straps.
He asks the driver.
BJØRN: Do you have
any long straps?
Pull-up?
DRIVER: No.
BJØRN: ****!
How we gonna find a solution?
NARRATOR: The tunnel's closed,
the truck's going nowhere and
Bjorn's got a big problem.
BJØRN: ****!
NARRATOR:
He calls Thord for help.
BJØRN: Do you have any
ratchet straps in your truck?
Yes.
NARRATOR: Thord passed this
rescue on to Bjorn because
he was busy,
he's now heading home.
THORD: I'm on my way now.
NARRATOR: But instead,
turns his truck around.
THORD: OK. Bye.
THORD: I have to help Bjorn
a little bit because he don't
have any jack-strap in his
truck, so I need help him a
little bit so he
can get this away.
NARRATOR: There's nothing Bjorn
can do until Thord arrives.
BJØRN: ****!
BJØRN: I have to wait for
Thord 'cause he has some
big straps in his car.
NARRATOR: But patience is
not one of Bjorn's virtues.
BJØRN: ****!
NARRATOR: 1,000 kilometers
north in Overhalla,
there's big news in
the family business.
26 year old road
rescuer, Ole Henrik,
has become a father.
OLE HENRIK: This is the next
generation of road trucker.
JO ROGER: Ole Henrik has
become a father this winter
and I have become
a proud granddad.
JO ROGER: Are you
going to sleep all day?
NARRATOR: Ole Henrik's taking
time off with girlfriend,
Anna, to be with the baby.
But for Jo Roger,
it's back to business.
Responsible for keeping 1,700
kilometers of road open,
and with his second-in-command,
Ole Henrik, out of action,
Jo Roger's working harder
than ever, and relying on
his young team to
get the jobs done.
It's mid-afternoon,
rookie rescuers,
Christoffer and
Torstein, are in charge.
(phone ringing).
TORSTEIN: Torstein speaking.
Yes.
NARRATOR: Torstein takes
details of the call-out.
TORSTEIN: We have seen some
pictures of the accident.
The trailer is lying on its
side and the truck is also
in the deep ditch.
NARRATOR: The accident
happened on a remote road
that runs towards
the Swedish border.
The tipper truck was
transporting 14 tons of sand
and towing a six
ton excavator.
The trailer started to slide
over the road edge and
down the bank.
Gaining momentum, it
swung the truck behind it,
then crashed over.
The driver was lucky.
The trailer stopped the truck
from falling further towards
a frozen lake.
But even close to the road,
this will be a difficult rescue.
TORSTEIN: So, we bring
little rotator truck and
the big rescue truck.
NARRATOR: It's 31-year-old
Christoffer's first full
season and he takes the
rotator truck with its
360 degree turntable crane.
Torstein's new to the garage,
but has ten years' experience
as a mechanic.
He's in Jo Roger's
heavyweight tow truck.
CHRISTOFFER: Normally, this
is a job Bjorn or Gary
would take, but he trust
us to do this ourselves.
It's a long drive, so it's
going to be late afternoon
before we arrive.
NARRATOR: Two hours later,
the rescuers are on scene.
It's getting dark but
still easy to see how big
a challenge they're facing.
CHRISTOFFER: We have just
arrived and we see a truck,
a trailer and
an excavator in the ditch.
This is gonna take some time.
NARRATOR: First job
is to make a plan.
CHRISTOFFER:
There's not a lot of space.
It's going to be hard if
you want to get past it.
CHRISTOFFER: It's only one way
to do this and we need to get
the rotator truck
on the other side.
TORSTEIN: You need to
drive it around and up here.
CHRISTOFFER: This is a
dead-end road, and there
is no other way around.
NARRATOR: The heavy truck
needs lifting from both sides,
so they'll take the rotator
through the small gap between
the tipper and the ditch.
The red tow truck can
then come in close.
The rotator will run one winch
wire to the tipper truck's
rear wheel, the red truck
running a line to the front.
This will anchor the tipper as
the rotator truck swings the
back end onto the road.
CHRISTOFFER: We are going
to get the rotator tow truck
behind the truck here.
We know this is risky, but we
need to get our rotator truck
on the other side.
NARRATOR: Plan in place,
time to put ideas into action.
Christoffer takes
the driving seat.
CHRISTOFFER: I'm grabbing the
steering-wheel and stepping on it.
This has to work,
no matter what.
NARRATOR: The rotator truck
weighs 21 tons, Christoffer's
gambling that the
ground is hard enough.
CHRISTOFFER: ****!
TORSTEIN: This is a nightmare.
BJØRN: ****!
NARRATOR: In the South,
Bjorn's trying to clear a
tunnel blocked by
a car transporter.
A snow-chain sheared,
then tore a metal plate
from the trailer chassis
bending its sharp
edge against the tire.
BJØRN: I will try with
some straps, maybe,
hopefully that's work.
NARRATOR: Bjorn plans to use
a strong strap to force it back,
but he hasn't got one.
BJØRN: ****!
NARRATOR: So Thord's
coming to his rescue.
THORD: I will meet along
somewhere from Eidfjord.
Now I will see if he
is happy or angry or.
NARRATOR: It takes Thord
30 minutes to bring the
straps to Bjorn.
Now, the rescue can begin.
BJØRN: Hello.
NARRATOR: Bjorn's plan is to
fasten the ratchet strap to
the wheel rim to
bend the metal back.
When the trailer reverses,
the strap will tension and
straighten the metal.
THORD: Bjorn is trying to
get this chassis away from
the wheel, if not the
tire's gonna explode.
So I think we
only have to start.
I think this is a good plan.
NARRATOR: Bjorn
directs the driver.
BJØRN: You drive slowly back.
DRIVER: Drive back, yeah?
BJØRN: Slowly, very slowly.
NARRATOR: The strap can
take a two ton load,
but they'll need to increase
tension in small steps.
THORD: Ya!
Little bit back.
THORD: A bit more, very easy.
Yes.
DRIVER: A bit more?
THORD: Yes
NARRATOR: The strap slips.
BJØRN: It's hard as rock.
NARRATOR: So Thord
ratchets up the tension.
THORD: This is complicated,
so we have to be careful and
think before we do anything.
BJØRN: Yeah.
(creaking).
DRIVER: More?
BJØRN: Yes, a bit more.
(tension snaps).
THORD: Oh, ****!
NARRATOR: In Overhalla,
there's a tipper truck,
trailer and excavator
waiting to be rescued.
But rookies Christoffer
and Torstein are in deep trouble.
TORSTEIN: This won't work,
it can't get past.
CHRISTOFFER: ****,
there's no point to this
NARRATOR: They need to get the
rotator truck to the other side,
but the temperature is
unseasonably high, around zero.
The ditch should be solid
ice, instead it's a stream.
CHRISTOFFER: The ditch was
much softer than we thought,
so we need to
rethink this plan.
CHRISTOFFER: We'll
have to find another way.
NARRATOR: But first they need
to rescue their own tow truck.
Torstein pulls
the rotator back.
Time now, for round two.
CHRISTOFFER: This rotator
needs to be on the other side.
CHRISTOFFER: I could try to
drive far enough out
so the wheels straddle the ditch.
I'm not sure.
TORSTEIN: Do you
have any wooden planks?
MAN: Yes, we have some.
CHRISTOFFER: And put
them in the tracks?
TORSTEIN: That could work.
NARRATOR: To make more
planks, the team improvise.
The big tow trucks carries a
chainsaw, so they set to work.
CHRISTOFFER: We are trying
to cut down some logs and put
them down in the ditch, but
the ditch is very deep and
it's a lot of water.
TORSTEIN: Will they break?
CHRISTOFFER: Possibly, yes.
NARRATOR: They're taking
a risk, and a big one.
The rotator truck's
worth 110,000 Euro.
CHRISTOFFER:
It's all ready, we can go.
TORSTEIN: ****,
it's really deep!
NARRATOR: It's a second fail,
and Christoffer needs another tow out.
CHRISTOFFER: We need
to rethink this plan.
TORSTEIN: We don't
have any other options.
NARRATOR: Then,
he has an idea.
If they can lighten the tipper
truck, they could swing it
around far enough for the
rotator to squeeze past.
CHRISTOFFER: It's at least
14/15 tons of sand in this
truck, so it's very heavy.
CHRISTOFFER: We could get rid of
some of the weight at the back.
CHRISTOFFER: We have to tip
off all the sand and we need
to pull the truck sideways
so we get more room for
the rotator truck.
MAN: Shall we start it up and
try to open the tailgate?
So we can unload the sand.
CHRISTOFFER: It could work.
NARRATOR: The tailgate's jammed
shut against the trailer,
but if they pull the
tipper forward,
the tailgate should open
and off-load sand.
They reverse in the big tow
truck and attach two lines,
one front one back.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes!
NARRATOR: The tow truck
packs two 20 ton winches.
TORSTEIN: Try and
pull it harder.
NARRATOR: At first,
the plan works.
CHRISTOFFER: Is
anything happening?
NARRATOR: But not well enough.
Using only one tow truck
they can't move the tipper
far enough forward for
the sand to clear.
CHRISTOFFER: This
didn't work very well.
NARRATOR: They're now over
two hours into the rescue,
and they've nothing
to show for it.
NARRATOR: In the South,
in a tunnel near Odda,
Thord and Bjorn are tackling
a snow-chain stuck between
two wheels, a metal plate
jammed against a tire.
(tension snaps).
BJØRN: Oh, ****!
NARRATOR:
And a ratchet strap that snapped.
THORD: Oh no, now
we have problems.
NARRATOR: They have
only one strap left,
and they can't
afford it to fail.
THORD: *** this is really hard.
THORD: We have to hurry.
NARRATOR: With the Road
Authority wanting the tunnel
re-opened, the two rescue
bosses are under pressure.
They change their plan.
This time, as well as using the
strap to bend back the metal,
they also attach one
end of the snow chain
to an anchor
point on the chassis.
If they're lucky,
when the driver reverses,
the metal will bend and
the chain fall free.
THORD: Let's try again.
NARRATOR: Under Bjorn's direction,
the driver reverses slowly.
(creaking).
BJØRN: Drive forward.
THORD: Yes. There it is.
NARRATOR:
It's a double success.
The metal bends back,
the snow-chain comes loose,
and the car transporter
is ready to roll.
DRIVER: Thank you
very much, for this.
THORD: Just fix it in
Haugesund, tomorrow.
DRIVER: Ya.
BJØRN: This job went very good,
so now the driver can go on.
THORD: Let's go, Bjoern.
THORD: Everything went
fine, it's very good.
The work was perfect.
CHRISTOFFER: ****!
NARRATOR: In the far north,
over two hours in,
Christoffer and Torstein's
rescue has come to a standstill.
To tow out the tipper truck
and trailer, they need to get
the rotator to the other side.
But they can't do that because the tipper
is blocking their way.
It's stalemate,
until Torstein makes a call.
TORSTEIN: Are you close by?
NARRATOR: A contractor with
a heavy-duty front loader is
working nearby, clearing snow.
TORSTEIN: Yes.
Talk to you later.
Goodbye.
NARRATOR: Torstein thinks
he could be their savior.
TORSTEIN: Now we are
waiting a front loader,
that's gonna try to help us.
NARRATOR: With tractor tires
and high ground clearance,
the front loader should get
past the tipper truck and be
powerful enough to help tow
it out from the far side.
CHRISTOFFER: It'll be
almost like our original plan,
and we'll be able to
swing the truck around.
TORSTEIN: I think
we have to do it this way.
NARRATOR: After one hour's wait,
the front loader arrives,
and the driver wastes
no time getting across
the ditch and around the truck.
CHRISTOFFER: It sunk down
really low as well.
TORSTEIN: Yes.
CHRISTOFFER: The big wheels makes the
passing go like a dream and
finally we can start to rescue
this truck and trailer.
NARRATOR: In the new plan, the
front loader will remove its
bucket to run a wire from
the end of its arm to the tipper
truck's rear wheel.
On the other side, the red
tow truck will this time run a
wire to the
front of the tipper.
They'll then pull it forward
enough to off-load the sand.
Then, swing it
around and onto the road.
They guide the front loader into
position, then begin to rig.
It's now past 9:00.
CHRISTOFFER: Try to pull gently to see if
the tailgate will loosen up.
NARRATOR: Torstein and
Christoffer have been on site
for nearly four hours.
CHRISTOFFER: Are you ready?
TORSTEIN: Yes.
NARRATOR: They can't
afford another failure.
CHRISTOFFER: Give it a go.
NARRATOR: Torstein powers
up the red truck's winch.
The front loader bounces
on its suspension as it
tries to pull back.
But it can't get grip,
and slides on the ice.
TORSTEIN: ****!
Hold on.
Maybe we should try to
connect another wire?
Then we'll get
more pulling power.
NARRATOR: Christoffer connects
a second winch wire to the
truck's rear wheel.
CHRISTOFFER: You should
also try to pull some more.
NARRATOR: Then, encourages
the driver of the
front loader to gun it.
With three wires connected,
they try again.
♪ ♪
CHRISTOFFER: Yes, open it up!
NARRATOR: Having gained a few
centimeters, Torstein tells
the truck driver to
release the tailgate.
TORSTEIN: Start tipping it.
NARRATOR: There's now enough
clearance from the trailer to
raise the tipper body.
It offloads what's left of
the 14 ton cargo of sand.
CHRISTOFFER: Finally it works.
We make some room to get to
tip off the sand and that
makes the job much easier.
NARRATOR: Empty, the tipper
truck weighs another 14 tons.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes!
NARRATOR: But now the team
make real progress.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
TORSTEIN: Loosen it up, Christoffer.
Then he can swing it to the side.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes.
NARRATOR: The rear winch from
the red truck offers up slack,
so the front loader can
swing the tipper around.
TORSTEIN: Put on the brakes.
CHRISTOFFER: Now I think
we are on the right way.
NARRATOR: The tipper truck's
back on the road, undamaged.
CHRISTOFFER: Last part of the
pull went very well and now
the truck can go
on its next job.
NARRATOR: The driver hauls out,
but the rescue's only part done.
CHRISTOFFER: Now we got to
move and we go back and
take the trailer
and the excavator.
NARRATOR: Ten meters down
the 40 degree slope,
there's a tipped-up trailer
and six ton excavator
waiting to be recovered.
TORSTEIN: Now we go home.
TORSTEIN: No...
THORD: Not much
snow at the moment is there?
NARRATOR: In the south
of Norway, Thord and his
17-year-old son, Eirik, head
back to the garage in Odda.
(phone ringing).
EIRIK: Someone's calling.
NARRATOR: When another
emergency call comes in.
THORD: Hello.
NARRATOR: 80 kilometers away,
a bus has crashed off a
narrow coastal road.
The passengers are okay
and have transferred to
another vehicle, but the bus
is stuck deep in a ditch.
THORD: I think the problem is
that the bus driver meet one
car and they don't come past
each other, so I think they
have only one thing to
do if they don't want to
crash the car, then I think he
have to drive in the ditch.
NARRATOR: The driver had
to choose between a
head-on collision or a mud-bath.
THORD: I have to work really fast because
I know every this territory.
I know every places
which is bad to stay.
So this is not a good place.
We need to get
going and quick.
NARRATOR: The bus is on
a blind bend, blocking
the only through route.
If Thord's to work quickly
and safely, he needs back-up.
THORD: Now I gonna call to my
good man, Andrzej from Poland.
So he is coming
up and help me.
NARRATOR: For 14 years,
Andrzej's been Thord's
right-hand man.
He sets off in the big
eight-wheel drive tow truck.
They rendezvous at the crash site, then
weigh up the rescue.
THORD: I'll have
a look at the back.
THORD: And now we have a bus
with a little bit out of the
road and it's a little
bit steep in the mud.
So we have to take it
carefully so we don't
destroy anything, so...
THORD: It's touching
the ground back here.
NARRATOR: The ditch is so
deep, the bus chassis is
grounded on the tarmac.
THORD: Now I come here and see
there is a little bit steep in
the ground, and it's really
wet and it's a lot of mud.
NARRATOR: The road has
recently been re-surfaced.
THORD: ****, it's so deep.
NARRATOR: The greater
depth of tarmac has
raised the carriageway,
deepening the ditch.
THORD: Look how **** deep it is!
NARRATOR: Worse still, warmer temperatures
have brought on a thaw.
The soft ground is unable to
support the bus's 14 ton weight.
And that's not all.
THORD: ****!
Is it leaking diesel?
THORD: And now when me and
Andrzej go around, we smell
that it smells of diesel or
oil or something like this.
THORD: ****, the
diesel tank has been hit.
It's leaking from the front.
THORD: It's water going under the bus
and we see it's diesel in it.
And then I thinking maybe
the diesel tank is caput.
So then we have to towing
the bus away from this place and
this is not a good place
to tow a bus because it's
a really bad road.
Then we have a really
big work in front of us.
THORD: There must be a **** hole
in the diesel tank. There must be.
THORD: Diesel in the country
is not good for the nature.
And it's not good, if it
stop maybe burning in the bus.
THORD: But it doesn't
look like it hit anything.
****!
NARRATOR: 1,000 kilometers north,
after five hours of effort,
Christoffer and Torstein have
rescued the tipper truck,
only to start the second
stage of the rescue.
CHRISTOFFER: The trailer is
on its side with an excavator
under it, and then we also
have a big load of sand
on top of everything.
NARRATOR: The trailer is
buried under the 14 ton load
of sand they tipped out
to lighten the truck.
Below the trailer is
the six ton excavator.
CHRISTOFFER: Torstein is
trying to dig up some sand and
I'm rigging up
the rotator truck.
NARRATOR: They plan to move
the trailer first using the
extended crane winch on the
rotator truck to flip it over.
Christoffer extends the boom,
as Torstein plans the rig.
TORSTEIN:
We could attach it here.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes, let's do that.
TORSTEIN: But we have to
connect it up there as well.
CHRISTOFFER: This trailer has
very little points that
we can use to pull.
NARRATOR: To flip the trailer,
they need a strong attachment
point to withstand
the winch's power.
With a load of sand stacked
against the trailer base,
this pull will be no pushover.
CHRISTOFFER: It's been
welded both here and here.
TORSTEIN: Yes.
NARRATOR: The points where the metal
has been welded will be weak.
CHRISTOFFER: I think we'll
just have to give it a try.
NARRATOR: Christoffer and
Torstein complete the rig,
but know they're
taking a gamble.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes!
Start reeling in the wire.
NARRATOR: If anything breaks,
there could be two consequences.
One, they destroy the trailer,
and two, they put
themselves in danger.
TORSTEIN: He should keep clear.
CHRISTOFFER: Who him?
TORSTEIN: The cameraman
has to stay clear.
NARRATOR: Torstein warns that
a winch wire could snap back.
CHRISTOFFER: ****!
NARRATOR: Christoffer and Torstein have
had a narrow escape.
CHRISTOFFER: ****!
****!
NARRATOR: The connection point
on the trailer sheared clean off.
No one's hurt, but the
rescue is back to square one.
CHRISTOFFER: Sometimes it
looks like we're taking a very
big chances, but we need to
do it to get the job done
no matter what.
TORSTEIN: We would have made it if it
wasn't for that connection.
Because it was doing alright.
NARRATOR: Nearly there is
nowhere in the rescue business.
The two rookies
need to re-group.
CHRISTOFFER: Maybe we could
make a hole in the metal plate.
TORSTEIN: Yeah, I guess
we could give it a try.
NARRATOR: If they pierce
the trailer platform, they could
run a wire around
a chassis member.
CHRISTOFFER: Both me and
Torstein are certified truck
mechanics, so that comes
in good hand on this job.
NARRATOR: But sometimes even
trained mechanics have to use
the simplest of tools.
TORSTEIN: I'll go
grab the crowbar.
NARRATOR: They hack away at the
trailer platform to make a hole.
CHRISTOFFER: Let me
give it a try.
NARRATOR: With the
wire reconnected,
the two rescuers try again.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes!
♪ ♪
TORSTEIN: A little more.
Yes.
Pull full force.
That's more like it!
That's good.
NARRATOR: The trailer's
upright, but now they need to
haul it up onto the road.
CHRISTOFFER: Pull it harder.
CHRISTOFFER:
Finally something easy.
NARRATOR: Truck gone and trailer up,
makes two out of three.
But what's left presents
an even bigger challenge.
CHRISTOFFER:
Now it's excavator time.
NARRATOR: Further down
the slope, lies a six ton
excavator that's
crashed onto its side.
THORD: ****!
Is it leaking diesel?
NARRATOR: In Odda, Thord,
Eirik and Andrzej arrive to
rescue a bus that crashed
on a narrow coast road,
when Thord smelled trouble.
THORD: It can be dangerous if you
get fire, then it's not good.
NARRATOR: The bus is
leaking diesel into the ditch.
THORD: The leak is coming from that pipe!
ANDRZEJ: Yes.
THORD: We need to rescue this
bus quick because it's not
gonna stand here leaking.
NARRATOR: The leak is both a fire hazard
and bad for the environment,
and if the fuel
tank is damaged,
Thord will have to tow
the bus for repair
along the dangerous,
narrow road.
He brings in the bus driver
for a second opinion.
THORD: Is there a diesel leak here?
DRIVER: That's the filler cap.
THORD: It was a completely full tank?
DRIVER: Yes, it was.
THORD: It's only leaking
because it's leaning over.
That's a relief. Good that
someone round here's observant.
NARRATOR: Because the bus is
leaning over into the ditch,
a few liters of fuel have
spilled out of the
breather pipe in the cap.
There's still a fire risk,
but Thord can factor that
into his plan.
THORD: I want to make me
a picture how to get this out
without destroying
anything on the bus.
I want this bus to driving
from this place itself.
THORD: You can actually
stay positioned as you are.
We'll attach
a wire to the wheel.
Bringing the rear of the bus this way
and pulling it back at the same time.
NARRATOR: Andrzej and Eirik
rig chains to the wheel as
Thord does the dirty work.
THORD: It's **** deep down here.
NARRATOR: Clearing out
the ditch so it doesn't catch on
the bus bodywork, and making
a clear path for the front
wheels before they
haul the bus backwards.
THORD: Let's pull and
see how it goes.
NARRATOR: The team
are rigged and ready.
Andrzej's at the controls.
He takes up the tension while
Thord briefs the bus driver.
THORD: Have you got
your foot on the brake?
The handbrake's off?
Try pulling a
bit now, Andrzej!
Let go of the footbrake now.
THORD: Are you pulling now?
ANDRZEJ: Yes.
THORD: It's not going anywhere.
The wheels aren't moving at all.
NARRATOR: Thord checks that the
driver's following instructions.
THORD: Are you sure the handbrake is off?
DRIVER: Yes.
NARRATOR: The driver's
doing what he's told.
It's Thord's rescue
plan that's the problem.
THORD: No, no, no.
There's something wrong.
CHRISTOFFER:
Now it's excavator time.
NARRATOR: In the north,
in Overhalla, it's past midnight
and there's a six ton excavator
still on its side.
Rescue rookies
Christoffer and Torstein, have taken
over seven hours to recover
the truck and trailer.
TORSTEIN: That's good.
NARRATOR:
But the night's far from over.
CHRISTOFFER: First we need
to flip the excavator and
then we can pull
it up on the rope.
NARRATOR: They rig the rotator
truck to the excavator chassis
using heavy-duty chains.
CHRISTOFFER: The rotator is
already in position to
pull up the excavator.
NARRATOR: The rotator's
crane winch can lift ten tons.
The excavator weighs six.
But the lift is made harder
by the mounds of spilled sand
offloaded from
the tipper truck.
CHRISTOFFER: The excavator is
on these belts and we tried to
slide it up on the rope.
CHRISTOFFER: Yes.
Yes!
NARRATOR: For the final pull,
they need to reposition the
rotator to re-rig.
CHRISTOFFER:
Yeah, I think that's a good spot.
NARRATOR: They quickly
re-attach wires to the front.
The rotator's turn-table
winch now plays a vital part.
The boom swings round to
bring the excavator up
the final few meters.
CHRISTOFFER: Because of
the narrow roads, we have to tow
the excavator to our place
so it is not in the way.
NARRATOR: It's 11 hours since
the two inexperienced rescuers
arrived on site.
Not everything they've
tried has gone to plan,
but they have got the
result they needed.
CHRISTOFFER: Then we can go
home and get some food and
sleep before we head
out to work again.
THORD: No, no, no.
There's something wrong.
NARRATOR: In Odda, Thord
and his team turn detective.
The wheels on the bus are
not going round because
it's grounded out.
THORD: And now we take a lot
of woods under the bus because
we want this to climbing up on
this because then we lifting
it up, because we see that
some of the parts is in the
asphalt, and we want it a
little bit higher up so we
don't destroy anything.
So it's better using ten minutes
more and don't destroy anything.
NARRATOR: But taking
more time comes at a risk.
The bus crashed on a blind bend,
and Andrzej's winch wire
runs right across the road.
THORD: When you stand working
at the road you have to have
eyes all over.
Maybe somebody losing
the control of their car and
maybe smash you down.
So you have to always be
prepared to running away.
NARRATOR: Thord places
more wood in the ditch.
It's filled with a mixture of
mud, water and spilt diesel.
But he has to build a ramp so
the bus chassis climbs clear.
THORD: Now try
pulling again, Andrzej.
NARRATOR: With the driver at
the wheel, Andrzej winches in
and slowly the
bus starts to move.
THORD: Look!
EIRIK: They're turning?
Show me!
THORD: Now it's moving.
A bit more to the side.
Hold it.
NARRATOR: Thord's still
concerned that the bus
could ground out.
THORD: Ah, when you always
work with things like this
it's very important to have
a lot of planks with you.
NARRATOR: The team add more
wood to fill out the ditch.
And to help the bus up,
Thord treats the tarmac
to make the tires slide.
THORD: I want it to have a
little bit more slippery on
the road, because then
the bus is sliding more.
THORD: Try pulling
Andrzej, gently.
Yes, like that, continue
carefully just like that.
Wait up.
If he drives forward and turns, we can lay
some more wooden blocks.
NARRATOR: Having pulled the
bus sideways, Andrzej releases
the winch wire.
It's now for the bus
driver to haul himself out.
THORD: Yes, come on!
Just drive!
NARRATOR: The wheels find
grip on the wood blocks,
the bus is back in business.
THORD: Right, now we
are finished this work.
THORD: Not too bad
for a Wednesday evening, eh?
ANDRZEJ: That was really good.
THORD: I see that me and
Andrzej and my son is
working really good together.
Happy customer.
Not destroy anything.
This is my A team today.
It smells diesel everywhere.
It smells diesel in the
house for all of two days.
(laughs)
And now Eirik's, mother get
very happy when he is home.
Maybe need a new
washing machine.
(laughs)
So, now the best
rescue team may go home.
Captioned by
Cotter Media Group.