MTA construction worker rescued after falling into 10-foot trench
FDNY rescues MTA construction worker after 10-foot trench fall
A major emergency response flooded the streets of East Harlem on Wednesday morning after a construction worker fell into a 10-foot trench, triggering a complex rescue operation.
NEW YORK CITY - A major emergency response flooded the streets of East Harlem on Wednesday morning after a construction worker fell into a 10-foot trench, triggering a complex rescue operation.
What we know:
Emergency crews arrived within three minutes after receiving a 911 call about a worker trapped in a ditch at the intersection of 108th Street and Second Avenue around 9:30 a.m.
Video from the scene showed crowds of first responders and construction crew gathered at the Second Avenue Subway construction project site. Officials say 15 pieces of emergency apparatus and about 100 FDNY members were called in for the rescue.
To safely extract the injured worker, rescue teams set up a high-point rigging system over the trench, using specialized ropes and mechanical advantage systems to lower emergency crews and pull the injured worker to safety.
Crews also had to monitor air quality inside the space and ensure all local electrical and gas utilities were completely shut off before sending personnel into the ditch.
The worker was successfully secured, raised out of the trench, and placed onto a stretcher. Officials confirmed the individual was conscious and immediately transported to nearby Mount Sinai Hospital for medical treatment.
What we don't know:
The extent of the worker's injuries has not been released, but officials indicated that the individual is expected to survive.
The site of the accident remains under observation, and standard investigations into the cause of the fall are expected to follow.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by the FDNY.