2 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS INJURED DURING MIAMI HIGH RISE CONSTRUCTION WHEN A RETAINING WALL COLLAPSED ON THEM
January 28, 2015
MIAMI (WSVN) -- Two construction workers were injured during
construction of a high-rise building in Downtown Miami, Wednesday.
The two men, who are in their 20s, were working on the 26th
floor of the Met 3 building at 200 S.E. 3rd Ave. when a retaining wall
collapsed on them. Officials said the first calls for help came in around 10:30
a.m.
According to Miami Fire Rescue, the concrete retaining wall
came loose and fell on top of the workers, trapping one of them and injuring
the other. Several other construction workers were able to free the men from
the rubble.
Miami Fire Rescue then lowered the men down to the 23rd
floor where they used an elevator to safely get them to the ground floor.
"Some of the challenges when we deal with construction sites is that a lot
of the floors are not completed where workers are working on," said Miami
Fire Rescue Capt. Ignatius Carroll, "so we end up having to use ladders or
even makeshift stairs that they use to get up to those floors. We had to use a
Stokes basket and ropes to lower them down to the 23rd floor where we were able
to bring them down on the elevator."
Both workers were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital
with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Construction managers said they are taking a close look at
safety protocol on the site. They added they do not know what caused the
retaining wall to collapse.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been
notified of the incident and is expected to issue a report.