WPRO News

A worker hurt Monday morning in an industrial accident at a home under construction in Coventry was flown by medical helicopter to Rhode Island hospital for treatment of injuries that were described as not life threatening.

Police said the worker, who was not immediately identified, but is believed to be from Providence became trapped underneath concrete slabs while working on the foundation of the structure being built as part of a new development on Victory Road.

Fire and police crews helped to extricate the worker.

“When they arrived on scene they saw that the person was pinned under a partial foundation,” said Coventry Police Chief John MacDonald.

“An excavator that had been working next to the foundation either caused the foundation to fall in, or was kind of pulled in to it as the foundation fell, so it was hanging over the person that was trapped.” He said rescuers borrowed another excavator from a nearby construction site to secure the piece of equipment that was hanging over the man.

“Rescue personnel could not start to extract that victim until the excavator was secured.”

MacDonald said the worker was stabilized, and was conscious and alert as a helicopter arrived, he was flown to Rhode Island Hospital for treatment of injuries that are believed to be not life threatening.

He said personnel from the police department’s bureau of criminal investigation took photographs, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected the scene, but he said there have been no other incidents at the construction site.