Three Pa. Firefighters Hurt as Tower Basket Retracts

Officials say a cable snapped and the ladder quickly descended 50 feet.
June 26, 2014

Fire officials say that a malfunction on a tower ladder left three firefighters injured in Wattsburg Wednesday night.

The Erie Times-News reported that they were in the bucket of the Belle Valley tower ladder while installing equipment on an antenna outside the Wattsburg Hose Company's fire station around 7 p.m.

Firefighters told YourErie.com that a cable snapped and the ladder did a "rapid descent" about 50 feet before it stopped.

One firefighter from Wattsburg and two from Belle Valley were transported to UPMC Hamot with back, shoulder and knee injuries.

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