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A man suffered suspected spinal injuries when he fell through a pergola roof at Sunshine North yesterday morning.
Intensive care paramedics and advanced life support paramedics were called to a house just after 9am.
Intensive care paramedic Dion Meade said the 76 year-old man was hurt when roof sheeting on the pergola gave way while he was carrying out repairs.
‘The man dropped about three metres onto concrete and struck his back and head, Mr Meade said.
‘It appears the man suffered a spinal injury in the fall as he had significant pain in his neck and couldn’t feel anything below his chest.
‘We managed the man’s pain and took precautions to immobile his neck and spine to reduce movement given the potential spinal injury.
‘The man was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition,
‘It’s about the third time I have been called to people injured repairing damage after recent hail storms so it’s important people take care and have the appropriate safety equipment,’ Mr Meade said.
Yesterday paramedics also treated:
• A 56 year-old man who hurt his shoulder when he fell up to two metres while repairing an air conditioner at Hawthorn East;
• A 52 year-old man who fractured his hip and elbow when he fell four metres after scaffolding collapsed at Seaholme;
• A 50 year-old man who hurt his back when he fell from a ladder while demolishing a pergola at Sunbury;
• A 50 year-old man who suffered leg injuries when a ladder fell while he was checking a water tank at Taradale.
ENDS