Construction Worker Rescued After Falling Into Hole At Fulton And Downing Streets

An MTA construction worker was rescued by firefighters this morning after falling over 25 feet into an underground transformer vault at Fulton and Downing Streets — an accident that doesn’t surprise nearby residents who hear drilling on a near constant basis.

According to an FDNY spokesperson, the unidentified worker had been lowering cables through the grating in the sidewalk when his rope snapped and he fell in, head-first, shortly before 11:19am, which was when firefighters received the emergency call.

The victim remained conscious when firefighters arrived, but was in serious condition. EMTs treated him for “immediate and visible injuries” before loading him onto a backboard and into a basket to be pulled up via a fire truck crane pulley. It took 20 minutes to extract him out of the vault, after which he was rushed to Kings County Hospital for treatment.

For neighbor Bernadette Lords, the entire thing was somewhat unbelievable. “In New York, you’re used to hearing sirens all day, but when about 10 firetrucks showed up in front of the house and helicopters and police, it was really alarming,” she said.

“They rescued him, thank God, [but] this site has been next door for a long time,” she added, noting that it affects her feeling of public safety.

“These drills have been waking us up every morning for months and months. The house even shakes sometimes. It’s intense,” she said. “Listening to those drills all day is really disturbing especially since I’m a writer and working primarily from home. I need a quiet environment to work in and this site has been ongoing for what feels like forever.”

What has your experience been with ongoing construction in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill? Share your stories in the comments below and we’ll compile them for a future story.