Worker killed, rig operator injured in University City construction accident
By Digital Staff, Christie Ileto and Katherine Scott
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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — An accident at a construction site in the University City section of Philadelphia killed one person and injured another, authorities said.
It happened around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday near the University City/ Penn Medicine SEPTA station stop on Convention Avenue.
Action News was there as the owner of Bucks County-based Cook Drilling arrived to the scene overnight.
According to fire officials, heavy equipment was being moved off a tractor-trailer to a work site when a drilling rig being used to lift equipment fell.
A 55-year-old worker became trapped underneath.
It took about 15 minutes to extricate the worker.
He was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
The rig operator was also injured and taken to the hospital for treatment.
The rig fell away from the building, so no property was damaged and the area at the time was free of passersby.
“It’s fortunate that it was this time of the evening where this is a high traffic area during the day and it could have been a lot more potential for danger to many folks, but still there were two individuals who were hurt here so that’s still tragic,” Philadelphia Assistant Fire Chief Charles Walker said.
Firefighters said there was fuel leak from the equipment. Licenses & Inspections was called to the scene to investigate.
The scene remained active as the drilling rig remained on its side early Wednesday.
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