Global Courant
At least eight construction workers in Connecticut were injured after a building partially collapsed just after noon Friday, a few blocks from Yale University and its medical school.
The New Haven building was under construction at the time of the collapse. Workers told first responders that too much concrete collected in an area after it poured faster than they could spread it, causing the collapse, said fire chief John Alston Jr. during a press conference.
First responders had added urgency to rescue the victims because the concrete was drying, he said.
“Our units responded immediately within minutes and found several individuals with varying degrees of injury, from broken bones to three partially buried in the rubble,” Alston added.
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At least eight Connecticut construction workers were injured after a building partially collapsed Friday a few blocks from Yale University and its medical school. (Glenn Duda)
“They have done an outstanding job in harrowing conditions,” said Alston. “I’m very proud of that given what happened recently in Iowa. We’ve talked about collapses in our area, so they responded admirably.”
In Davenport, Iowa, three people were feared dead after a partial collapse of a building on Sunday.
Using ladders and ropes, first responders helped the injured trapped behind jagged rebar and other debris to safety.
“We heard a crash and jumped up,” witness Danean Doheny said. “It was crazy. It was very emotional and scary. I’m just glad everyone is mostly okay.”
He works on the fourth floor of a neighboring building.
He added that the concrete continued to run for a short time after the collapse of workers injured in a deep hole at the construction site. Those trapped in the hole were hoisted into rescue baskets with ropes.
After everyone was counted, dogs were sent into the building to make sure no one else was inside.
Firefighters rescue a worker after the partial collapse of a building under construction in New Haven, Connecticut. (Paul Haring via AP)
Thirty-six people were on scene at the time of the New Haven collapse and all have been accounted for, officials said.
Some of the people who were rescued sustained injuries, a spokesman for Mayor Justin Elicker said.
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During the press conference, Elicker said seven people were injured, including two critically. The number of injured was later updated to eight.
The New Haven building was under construction at the time of the collapse. (Associated Press)
Six of them were rescued by the fire brigade and two were able to get out of the building themselves.
“They were pouring concrete on this building and as they were pouring concrete, part of the second floor collapsed into the first floor and then into the basement,” said Erlicker, Boston 25 News reported.
He added: “There will be a significant investigation as with any construction situation like this.”
Yale called it a “construction accident” in a campus alert sent just after 1 p.m. local time, adding that Lafayette Street was closed between Church Street South and Congress Avenue.
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The two-story building is owned by Yale and is being developed into a seven-story residential building.
City officials said they plan to issue a work freeze at the site until it is safe to do so.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
