At 7:31 a.m., Fire & EMS responded for the report of a badly injured construction worker at 1999 K Street, Northwest.
First responders encountered a man who had fallen a distance of about 15 feet and had suffered a severe compound fracture to his right ankle. He was conscious and alert, but it was clear a high angle rescue assignment would be necessary to remove the man from the site.
The victim had fallen on top of the building under construction, so firefighters first had to get to him, immobilize him in a stokes basket and then, utilizing a heavy duty construction crane that was already on site, lower the man to the street level for transport.
Firefighter Chris Smith of Rescue Squad 1 accompanied the man down the nearly 100 feet to the street.
As the 49-year-old patient was being lowered, he pumped his fist into the air several times, indicating to his coworkers that he was alright. Once on the ground, medics took over treatment and transported quickly to GW Hospital.
The cause of the man's fall was under investigation.
