A man in his 40s remains in critical, life-threatening condition after a vat of extremely hot tar tipped over on him in an accident at Logan and Danforth Aves. in Toronto’s east end, Monday morning.

Emergency responders were called just before 8 a.m., and worked frantically to extricate the man who was trapped in several inches of molten tar, which police estimated was as hot as 200 C.

Initially, crews reported that he was wearing a protective suit that may have saved him from serious injuries, but according to police, he remains in critical condition as the initial injury report was “inaccurate,” constable David Hopkinson said.

Investigators say that the truck was travelling on Danforth Ave., and stopped suddenly near Logan Ave., apparently causing the vat of hot roofing tar to overturn on the worker.

Fire crews worked cut side of the truck where they found the worker encased in the hardened tar after it had been exposed to the air. After over an hour of being trapped, crews were able to cut him out of the tar and he was transported to Sunnybrook Hospital’s burn unit.

“This is very unusual,” the Toronto Fire platoon chief, Dave Denysek told media. “He was partially encased, it required pretty significant extrication.”

Denysek also mentioned it was a difficult” situation the fire crews had to be careful not to be scalded during the extrication.