Four people are in hospital after a serious single-vehicle crash in the Hunter, during which two passengers were thrown from a van into a nearby field.
Emergency crews were called to Buchanan Road near John Renshaw Drive at Buchanan just before 7.30am on Monday where four men aged in their 30s were found injured.
Cessnock District Rescue Squad volunteers used hydraulic cutters to free one man trapped in the vehicle before all four were assessed at the scene.
The trapped man suffered a fractured femur and abdominal injuries, while one of the passengers suffered a wound to his mouth.
The two others were treated for minor injuries.
NSW Ambulance paramedics took all four men to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition.
"This was a fairly challenging scene for paramedics with one patient trapped in the vehicle and two others ejected into a nearby paddock," NSW Ambulance Inspector Paula Stitt said.
"The trapped patient was stabilised and with the assistance of the VRA [Cessnock Rescue Squad] he was successfully freed.
"These patients are incredibly lucky. Two men were thrown from the vehicle suffering only minor injuries with their van also full of painting equipment that has the potential to injure during a crash.
"This is a reminder for people to drive safely and remain vigilant on our roads."
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