UPDATE: Cement accident kills one, injures another worker
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Updated: 2:14 AM Jul 7, 2009
UPDATE: Cement accident kills one, injures another worker
A Loudon County concrete accident has killed one construction worker and seriously injured another worker.
Posted: 11:18 PM Jul 6, 2009
Reporter: Nick Bona & Mike McCarthy
Email Address: nick.bona@wvlt-tv.com/mike.mccarthy@wvlt-tv.com
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LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A Loudon County concrete accident has killed one construction worker and seriously injured another worker.

Lenoir City Police say wet concrete clobbered both men at the Lenoir City Utilities Board's water treatment plant Monday afternoon.

Authorities still haven't released either man's name, but both worked for Bowen Engineering Corporation.

Emergency crews call this a devastating accident and difficult rescue.

"It's just a sad situation," Lenoir City Deputy Fire Chief Tony Brock said.

Dispatchers say the accident happened just after 2:00 PM.

Brock says several workers were helping pour the concrete wall in the news sewer treatment plant building.

"Inside the existing wall, there are pie shaped cubicles. They were finishing one pour in the corner....It's about 40 feet high," LCUB General Manager Fred Nelson said.

Nelson said half of that wall collapsed, clobbering the two workers with wet concrete.

"It looked like it knocked one back to the wall, and the concrete more or less covered the other one," Nelson said.

"They were covered from head to toe," Brock said.

Rescue workers freed the first trapped worker in about a half hour. The second sat buried about 40 minutes.

"We had to have our men go inside and physically remove them, get into the concrete and kind of shovel them out until they could get to them," Brock said.

Nelson says one of the workers died at Fort Loudoun Medical Center. Lifestar flew the other worker to U-T Medical Center.

"He couldn't feel anything below his waist and his back was hurting real bad," Nelson said.

His condition is unknown, but emergency say both men suffered "serious" injuries.

Rescue crews say the accident traumatized other workers who saw it all.

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PREVIOUS STORY:

LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- One of the two construction workers trapped under concrete poured into a manhole in Loudon County is dead, according to plant manager Frank Nelson.

Lenoir City Police confirm the two men worked for Bowen Engineering.

Rescue workers say the two men and several others were pouring a concrete wall when it collapsed. Rescue workers say the wet concrete covered the two workers from head to foot.

The Lenoir City Fire Department used a crane and several Lenoir City Utility Board bucket trucks to pull them out.

Rescue workers say both men were in serious condition when they left the scene.

The plant manager says one of the men complained he couldn't feel anything below his waist and his back hurt.

Both workers were transported to Fort Loudoun Medical Center, and one of them was then flown to UT Medical Center by Lifestar. Nelson says the victim taken to Fort Loudoun Medical Center is apparently the one who died.

Rescue crews say this rescue was far from easy.

"It was pretty difficult. We had to have our men go inside, physically remove them, get down into the concrete and shovel them out, and put the medical equipment they needed on them to hoist them out," Deputy Lenoir City Fire Chief Tony Brock Says.

The investigation into this accident is ongoing.

Our calls to Bowen Engineering have not been returned.

No identities have been released.

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PREVIOUS STORY:

LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A pair of construction workers became trapped early Monday afternoon while working in a Lenoir City manhole.

Reports from the scene indicate they were working in the small space at 900 Nelson Street around 2:15 PM. Somehow, concrete was poured into the hole before they could clear it, trapping at least one of them below his knees. Both workers were conscious and talking to rescue crews from the Lenoir City Fire Department.

Stay with Volunteer TV and VolunteerTV.com for the latest on this developing story.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Mandy Location: Tennessee on Jul 8, 2009 at 08:31 AM

Kim, my husband was there as well. In no way did bowen take ANY shortcuts. Bowen has not had an accident in 42 yrs. Safety is first. So know your facts!!, We aee all devastated.
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Posted by: Anonymous Location: Nashville on Jul 7, 2009 at 10:30 PM

I have worked for Bowen Engineering in the past. I can say for a fact that safety was of the utmost importance. The Workers, foreman, and Engineers Would have never taken any shortcuts. And It is for sure not the appropriate time for blame. But time to focus on the Families
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Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 7, 2009 at 02:51 PM

My best wishes to the family on their struggle recouping and good luck on the law suit because you know there will be one. Remember guys saftey first!!!
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