Seven people were injured Friday when a concrete pouring mishap caused a building to partially collapse near the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.
Two of the victims were critically wounded in the incident, which took place on Lafayette Street around 12:30 p.m.
All 36 people on the work site at the time of the collapse were accounted for, officials said.
“Our units responded immediately within minutes and found several persons in varying degrees of injury, from broken bones to three that were partially buried under the rubble,” Fire Chief John Alston Jr. said at a news conference.
“Those persons that were trapped had to be lifted out.”
Workers told first responders that concrete was being poured onto a portion of the second floor faster than they could spread it, resulting in it pooling in one area before collapsing into the basement, Alston explained.
The fire chief also noted that emergency officials had been discussing building collapse responses following the harrowing partial building collapse in Davenport, Iowa, earlier this week.
New Haven firefighters responded to reports of a partial building collapse with people trapped. WTNH NEWS8The property is owned by Yale, which is developing it into a seven-story residential building, Mayor Justin Elicker added.
The building is managed by RMS Companies, a Stamford-based firm that describes itself as a purveyor of “upscale, modern apartments and luxurious boutique hotels.”
Current plans for the New Haven property call for 112 residential units, Elicker said.
Two victims were critically wounded in the incident, which took place on Lafayette Street. Douglas Healey for New York Post
In total, seven people were injured when the concrete pouring mishap occured. Douglas Healey for New York PostThe site currently has two floors with two underground parking levels.
City officials plan to issue a stop work order as the Friday incident is investigated. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was also on the scene.
Lafayette Street is a couple blocks from both the Yale School of Medicine and the Yale New Haven Hospital.
All 36 people on the work site at the time of the collapse were accounted for. Douglas Healey for New York Post
The incident happened a few blocks away from Yale University. WTNH NEWS8“They did some excellent work under some harrowing conditions,” Alston said of the New Haven first responders.
“I’m very proud of that considering what happened in Iowa recently. We’ve been talking about collapses in our area so they responded admirably.”
Documents released by Davenport officials after Sunday’s collapse showed that the building’s owner received a report from a structural engineer indicating that part’s of its facade “appear ready to fall imminently,” according to CBS News.
Three men are still missing, the outlet reported.
With Post wires
