Worker in critical condition after falls 30-feet through roof of old Franklin Crates factory building
Wednesday Posted at 12:27 PM Updated at 12:27 PM
By Cindy Swirko
MICANOPY, FLORIDA - A man on the roof trimming trees at the former Franklin Crates factory in Micanopy fell through a plastic or fiberglass skylight Wednesday morning, landing on concrete after a 30-foot drop.
The man, whose name was not available, was flown by helicopter to UF Health Shands Hospital, said Alachua County Fire Rescue District Chief Joe Cox.
“Our critical care (crew) that responded to the call determined that it would be in the patient’s best interest if he were flown out,” Cox said. “ShandsCair flew him out with possible internal injuries along with a wrist fracture and possibly some broken ribs.”
The incident was reported at 9:25 a.m. at Franklin Crates on U.S. 441. Both Cox and Alachua County sheriff’s spokesman Art Forgey said the plant was bought by O’Steen Bros., a Gainesville paving and site work company, to store its vehicles there.
Officials said the tree crew was on the roof. As branches were lowered onto the roof, they were cut and then lowered to the ground.
Cox said the man was unable to tell that skylights were on the roof because of leaf litter.