Worker falls 20 feet into a pit, rescued from trench collapse

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (WJBK) - Rescuers raced to save a construction worker trapped in a trench collapse at Beaumont Hospital in Farmington Hills.

It made for a terrifying 25 minutes for the construction worker, rescue crews and doctors, outside the hospital Wednesday.

"They were concerned for their co-worker and excited when he was lifted out of there," said Michael Rebock, trauma surgeon.

The worker is now in good condition and suffered fractures to his spine and ribs, a broken shoulder and cuts to his arm. The construction company is investigating the fall.

Officials say the seasoned worker with Colasanti construction, a subcontractor of Barton-Malow, had been working on the multi-million dollar renovation project.

"They were getting ready to remove some of the concrete formwork that was there," said Chuck Binkowski of Barton-Mallow Construction. I believe it was for a stairway. There is like two or three of them on the site."

The worker on the concrete structure apparently fell from a beam roughly 20 feet and into a pit. Workers and doctors rushed out to help.

"In this situation I didn't have to do much except get vital signs, give some advice as far as IV, fluids, that type of thing."

Doctors, who were hoping to relieve some of the worker's pain coming from his back and torso, and hooked him up to two IVs before preparing to pull him up.

"We utilized the on-site construction crane and our basket to extricate the patient about 25 minutes later," said Farmington Hills Fire Chief Jon Unruh.

Dozens of people watched the worker lifted out on a stretcher and lowered to safety, alert and talking and put into an ambulance and taken only 100 feet away.

"What's great is that it’s that close, we didn't lose any transport time," Rebock said. "We were able to attend to him right away."

West Bloomfield and Livonia Fire Departments were at the scene to assist as the construction site was shut down.

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"When something like this happens you don't want anyone distracted," said Binkowski. "Or wondering what happened. The job was shut down. We kept the people that were in the proximity so they could give us an accurate witness statement."

Everyone just thankful he made it out alive.