A wall collapsed onto several construction workers who were working on a major renovation at a Bedford, Massachusetts, home on Wednesday morning, sending five to the hospital, according to fire officials.
One worker was said to be in critical condition, and another was seriously hurt; the other three had minor injuries, according to the Bedford Fire Department. Three other workers were uninjured.
The wall collapse happened shortly after 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, trapping multiple people underneath. When medics arrived to the home on Dunster Road, a bystander was already performing CPR on an unconscious worker who had been extricated from the collapse, Interim Fire Chief Paul Sheehan said.
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"The collapse occurred when eight workers were attempting to raise a gable wall as part of a major rehab project in a residential building," Sheehan said during a news conference at the construction site. "First impressions by our building department are that improper procedures may have been used but OSHA will make the official determination."
Sheehan said there may not have been enough workers for the weight of the wall.
Building inspector Christopher Laskey said a building permit was issued in May to demolish a single-car garage and build a three-car garage with a family room above, and that is what was being constructed.
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A Bedford firefighter was also hurt while pulling workers out, but was treated on scene for a minor strain and remained on duty.
The injured workers have not been identified.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to the scene and will determine the cause of the collapse as well as when construction can resume.
