CARROLLTON, Texas—
A construction worker is recovering at Parkland Hospital after falling down a 55 foot hole.Fire crews and emergency personnel rushed to a construction site behind Good Elementary in Carrollton Wednesday afternoon, after a construction worker fell 55 feet down a hole that is only 30 inches wide.
"He was at the bottom of the hole," said Carrollton Assistant Fire Chief Gregg Salm. "He had the ability to move one arm, other than that, that's all I know."
Rescue teams from the Carrollton and Coppell Fire Departments quickly became concerned that the 19-year-old man was not getting enough air to breath.
"We did some air quality checks and Coppell brought out their system that would pump air into the hole," Salm told The 33 News.
Then the rescue began. A captain from the Carrollton technical rescue team was lowered into the hole made of nothing more than dirt and hardened clay.
"We sent one of our firefighters into the hole on a rope system. He went down with a harness. He was able to put that on the patient," said Salm.
The captain, speaking to the man the entire time, then brought him to the surface.
"I believe it was a very successful operation, it went smooth, and as far as rescues go, it was fairly quick," he said.
The man was taken to an ambulance, then across the street to a CareFlite helicopter. CareFlite rushed him to Parkland Hospital, where he received immediate care.
Neighbors were blown away by all the commotion.
"I went to this elementary school and there hasn't been this much excitement in this neighborhood in probably, ever," said Aldo Quiroga.
"Things like that don't happen around here, you wouldn't think it would happen in your own neighborhood," said Robert Carrera.
Authorities said the hole had just been dug and half of the hole was barricaded, the other half left exposed. No word on the condition of the construction worker, or how exactly he fell into the hole.
"We did some air quality checks and Coppell brought out their system that would pump air into the hole," Salm told The 33 News.
Then the rescue began. A captain from the Carrollton technical rescue team was lowered into the hole made of nothing more than dirt and hardened clay.
"We sent one of our firefighters into the hole on a rope system. He went down with a harness. He was able to put that on the patient," said Salm.
The captain, speaking to the man the entire time, then brought him to the surface.
"I believe it was a very successful operation, it went smooth, and as far as rescues go, it was fairly quick," he said.
The man was taken to an ambulance, then across the street to a CareFlite helicopter. CareFlite rushed him to Parkland Hospital, where he received immediate care.
Neighbors were blown away by all the commotion.
"I went to this elementary school and there hasn't been this much excitement in this neighborhood in probably, ever," said Aldo Quiroga.
"Things like that don't happen around here, you wouldn't think it would happen in your own neighborhood," said Robert Carrera.
Authorities said the hole had just been dug and half of the hole was barricaded, the other half left exposed. No word on the condition of the construction worker, or how exactly he fell into the hole.
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