Firefighters used a crane to rescue a man crushed beneath a forklift truck.
Officers battled for 30 minutes to save Peter Watson, 60, from Brighton, after the accident at Stirling Park Industrial Estate, Gatwick Road, Crawley.
Mr Watson's right leg was badly injured and he was rushed to East Surrey Hospital where he was today to undergo an operation before being taken to East Grinstead Hospital for skin grafts.
Mr Watson was working for Guilbert and Niceday, a stationery supply company on the site.
A spokesman for Crawley fire station said officers were called to the industrial estate at around 1am.
He said they released Mr Watson with their rescue equipment under the supervision of paramedics and an emergency response doctor.
A spokesman for the company confirmed there had been an accident and it was being investigated.
He confirmed Mr Watson worked for the company.
He said: "I don't want to comment on anything at this point. We will do our best for our employee and employees."
The Health and Safety Executive has been informed of the accident.
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