A worker has been rushed to hospital after his leg became trapped under a forklift at Pak’nSave Riccarton.

A St John spokesperson said they were notified of the incident on Matipo Street at 11.41am.

They responded with an ambulance and a rapid response vehicle. Chris Lynch Media understands the worker was trapped for about 40 minutes.

The man was assessed at the scene before being transported to Christchurch Hospital in a serious condition, the St John spokesperson said.

A police spokeswoman said police were notified and WorkSafe has been advised.

A Foodstuffs South Island spokesperson confirmed to chrislynchmedia.com, “One of our PAK’nSAVE Riccarton team members was taken to hospital with leg injuries following a workplace incident today.

“Our thoughts are with him and his family, and we’re doing everything we can to support him and our team during this time.

“WorkSafe has been notified, and the area has been secured while information is gathered. We will also carry out an internal review to understand what happened and identify any improvements.

“The safety and wellbeing of our team and customers is our top priority, and we remain committed to maintaining a safe workplace.”

A WorkSafe spokeswoman said, “An inspector will be on the scene shortly to gather evidence and understand the circumstances.

“Initial indications are that a worker has been injured in an incident involving a forklift.

“Work site traffic can be a major cause of harm to workers and other people.

“Businesses must manage their risks to keep people safe around vehicles and mobile plant such as forklifts,” the spokeswoman said.