The Community Times Dispatch

Information received concerning the incident indicated that the foreman reported that workers were assembling a roof grid at the site of the new shopping center complex, when a fork lift operator, inadvertently struck a center support, causing the outer main trusses to fail. The grid failed, dropping the steel trusses on the construction workers, who were on the ground and causing one man to fall 18 feet from the roof to the dirt.

Colleton County Fire-Rescue and the Walterboro Fire Department responded to the call at 5:28 p.m. Upon arrival of the emergency medical crews, one of the construction workers was found unconscious and also trapped under the heavy trusses.

According to Barry McRoy, Colleton Fire-Rescue Director, Firefighter-Paramedics were able to quickly free the trapped worker. However, the man was observed as critical on the scene. He suffered head and other trauma injuries. The worker who plunged 18 feet, suffered head, neck, and suspected spinal injuries. A third employee received an injury to his arm.

Due to heavy rain, severe lightening and thunderstorms being prevalent, no medical helicopters were available for transport.

Fire-Rescue units transported two of the patients, approximately 55 miles, by ground directly to the Medical University Trauma Center in Charleston. The third patient was transported to the Colleton Medical Center in Walterboro.

No other information concerning the patients was available to The Dispatch at press time.

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