Truck Pumping Concrete Collapses; 3 Workers Injured

By Donna Willis, www.nbc4i.com COLUMBUS, Ohio—Three people were injured Tuesday morning when a truck pumping concrete collapsed at the old City Center construction site.   Medics were called to the area of East Town and South 3rd streets, where crews from Igel Construction were working, at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.   A truck pumping concrete collapsed. Its boom was fully extended to about 188 feet. (A boom is a horizontal supporting arm or brace.)   Columbus Fire Chief David Whiting said one of the truck’s outriggers (used to keep the truck stable) was placed on unstable ground. The weight increased when the concrete began flowing. The outrigger punctured through underground tubing, causing the truck to fall.   “They’re pushing concrete through there—so it’s probably 100 to 150 feet long at least. You got water and stone, so it’s pretty heavy. So once that outrigger thing that’s sticking out—once the concrete started to flow—it added extra weight on the crane and it looks like it pushed through the pipe,“ Whiting said.   Whiting said three male workers were trapped or tangled beneath the rebars, steel rods with ridges used in reinforced concrete.   “Anytime when you set any outriggers down that you’re going to have weight on, you need to evaluate it and make sure it’s on something solid, and they may have looked and thought it was solid where they are. Again, that extra step always makes a difference,“ Whiting said.   The three workers were transported to Grant and Mount Carmel West medical centers with fractures, lacerations and contusions.   One individual is in serious condition, and the other two are stable.    Columbus police and Occupational Safety & Health Administration also were called to the scene.   This is new construction. The City Center area is under demolition to make way for Columbus Commons.   The former City Center parking garage was closed during the investigation.