Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Accident Injures 4 Seattle Tunnel Workers

Five workers installing rebar on a concrete wall at north portal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project fell about 25 feet when a wall of rebar gave way.

Seattle Fire spokesman Kyle Moore says two Seattle firefighters walked about a half mile into the tunnel and carried out one of the injured men while the four others walked out after the Thursday afternoon incident.

One of the men who walked out was not injured, while four others were taken to Harborview Medical Center, he said. One of the men suffered a fractured arm and was in stable condition, while the three others were evaluated.

Laura Newborn, spokeswoman for the Washington Department of Transportation, said she did not immediately have information on what happened. She said an incident occurred at the north portal of the tunnel project near Mercer Street.

"Seattle Tunnel Partners is thankful for the Seattle Fire Department's assistance in evacuating the injured workers to Harborview," the contractor in charge of tunnel work said in a statement posted to the Washington State Department of Transportation's website.

The Seattle Tunnel Project has been plagued with problems and is about two years behind schedule.