Man rescued after 2 hours under SUV in subzero weather

Pedestrians walk along an icy street near Dokkaebi Market in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. This photo is not directly related to the accompanying article. (Newsis)

A man in his 60s was rescued after being pinned under the wheel of his own car for about two hours in subzero temperatures in Gyeonggi Province, authorities said Friday.

The incident was reported at 10:17 a.m. Thursday, when emergency services received a call that the man had been found trapped beneath the front wheel of a sport utility vehicle near a warehouse in Hupyeong-ri, a rural district of Gimpo, according to the Gimpo Fire Department.

The man had been unable to move after the vehicle rolled forward and pressed down on the left side of his upper body.

Fire officials said he is believed to have stepped out of the vehicle without engaging the braking system.

A friend who had been unable to reach him by phone went to the site and discovered the accident. The friend used a forklift at the warehouse to lift the vehicle and free him.

Temperatures in the area were around minus 10 degrees Celsius at the time. The man showed symptoms of hypothermia after prolonged exposure to the cold.

He also sustained injuries to his chest and arm and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Police and fire authorities are investigating the exact cause of the accident.