More Than 50 People Rush To Help Florida Construction Worker
BRADENTON, FL — More than 50 people rushed to help a Florida construction worker who was trapped under a crane that snapped Thursday morning at a marina in downtown Bradenton. The group managed to lift the piece of equipment, which weighed more than a ton, but they were unable to save the married father in his 30s.
“Multiple people from everywhere — from the construction site here at the museum, all of our officers on duty, folks that were working at the marina — everybody — rushed to the scene as quickly as possible within minutes,” explained Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan.
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The incident happened at the city-owned Twin Dolphin Marina around 9:30 a.m., according to the Bradenton Fire Department and Bradenton Police Department.
“The worker was soon freed and lifesaving efforts began as the patient was transferred to Manatee County EMS.,” said a spokesperson for the Bradenton Fire Department. “Despite extensive efforts, the patient could not be revived.”
Another worker on the site was taken to a local hospital by Manatee County EMS with non-life
threatening injuries.
Bevan said several of her officers were outside the police station and heard a “tremendous sound” as they rushed to the scene.
“Upon their arrival they found one of the construction workers trapped beneath the crane. This is a crane that weighs upwards of a ton,” Bevan said, adding that the officers called out for help when they realized they couldn’t lift the crane by themselves.
Bevan said the worker was part of a four-person team building a dock under a grant-funded program. She said the worker who was killed was married with children.
“More than 50 people were able to lift the crane off the subject who then fell into the water. He was quickly pulled out,” she said. “CPR was administered by members of the Bradenton Police Department. They kept this up for an additional five to 10 minutes, at which time Bradenton Fire Rescue arrived on the scene and took over life-saving measures.”
The other worker who was injured was assisting with the rescue when he was injured. Bevan said her officers knew the sound of the crane falling was not consistent with the typical sounds of construction work.
Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor and DEP State Watch were advised of the incident.
Bevan described the incident as particularly “devastating” this time of year.
“It’s the holidays and this gentleman has a family,” she said. “We did everything we could to try to prevent this.”
In addition to the Bradenton Fire Department and Bradenton Police Department, first responders also were dispatched from North River Fire Rescue and Manatee County EMS.
The death has been categorized by Bradenton first responders as accidental.
Watch below as Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan explains how the community tried to save the construction worker:
The Twin Dolphin Marina courtesy city of Bradenton. Video courtesy Bradenton Police Department.
