Can you dig it ?

A tractor-trailer crashed on a freeway and dumped about 36 tonnes of gravel on a woman's car, but officials said she survived after bystanders helped fire-rescue crews dig her out using hubcaps and any other tools they could find.

The woman was reportedly conscious and alert and was taken to a hospital after the Thursday morning accident.

It took about 40 minutes to free her after the trailer overturned and dumped the gravel on her near the city's downtown, Assistant Fire Chief Rick Flanagan said.

"This was a very scary moment and a tragic accident with a tremendous amount of weight," Flanagan said. "Some 80,000 pounds of contents pancaked her vehicle."

The cause of the accident was under investigation.