A construction worker’s legs were injured when a floor gave way during demolition of the old Rocky Mountain News building this morning.
Firefighters said he fell 10 feet then was trapped by a concrete slab that landed on his legs, officials say.
The man, whose identity was not released, was conscious as he was taken by ambulance to Denver Health Medical Center, said Lt. Phil Champagne, Denver fire spokesman.
The man was watering down concrete dust at 8:18 a.m. as a crane was tearing down concrete sections of the building at the corner of Delaware Street and West Colfax Avenue.
Pieces of concrete fell on top of the first floor and it collapsed, Champagne said. The man fell and a section of concrete about 6 feet by 4 feet fell on top of his legs, pinning him down, he said.
“He very lucky that the slab it only hit him in the lower extremities,” Champagne said.
Firefighters used equipment already on site to pull the slab off of the man, he said. Firefighters used ropes to pull a stretcher holding the man out of the basement.
The man’s pants were cut off his right leg above the knee.
“He’ll be fine,” Champagne said.
