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Ambulance Victoria paramedics have treated three men who were injured when scaffolding collapsed on a Prahran construction site this morning.
Fourteen paramedics were called to Commercial Road, including intensive care paramedics based at the Alfred Hospital, a single responder intensive care paramedic based at Cabrini, three urban search and rescue trained intensive care paramedics, advanced life support paramedics from Richmond, the City and West Melbourne, a team manager and an operations manager.
Intensive care paramedic Rowan Harman arrived within six minutes to find scaffolding strewn across Commercial Road.
‘Three men were injured in the collapse,’ he said.
‘A 28-year-old man suffered a fractured finger, and cuts and abrasions. He apparently rode the scaffolding as it fell four floors.
‘A 24-year-old man fell two floors, and was trapped by his legs, hanging upside down. He suffered neck, arm and leg injuries, and was freed by workmates.
‘A 52-year-old man fell one floor, and suffered chest injuries.
‘Given potential for spinal injuries, all three men were fitted with neck braces.
‘All had drips put in their arm, and were given pain relief to make them more comfortable.
‘They have all been transported to the Alfred Hospital in a stable condition.’
Ambulance Victoria Operations Manager Paul Holman says there were initial fears of people being trapped under the scaffolding.
‘We responded three urban search and rescue trained intensive care paramedics to work with the MFB,’ he said.
‘Luckily most of the workers were at morning tea at the time of the accident. It is a miracle no-one has been seriously injured.
‘Given two rode the scaffolding down from the fourth floor, and one jumped off at the third floor, if not for the morning tea break, it could have been tragic.’