1 Construction Worker Killed, 3 Injured
Des Plaines police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 2:53 AM Tuesday to a report of construction accident with injuries at Touhy Ave And Interstate-90 Des Plaines, Il. Police and firefighter/paramedics received a report that a construction beam fell on a construction worker on Touhy Avenue underneath I-90. A minute later, rescuers received a report that multiple patients were injured.
Des Plaines police were first on the scene and confirmed that two patients were located in the eastbound lanes by 2:56 am.
Des Plaines Ambulance 62’s crew on arrival reported two large I-beams were off their moorings with no workers trapped at 2:59 a.m.
A third was ambulance requested at 3:00 a.m.
The third patient was initially reported to be on the east side of the I-beam collapse, so the third ambulance was assigned to approach from the east.
Engine 62’s immediately updated the information, indicating that the patient for the third ambulance was now on the west side of the collapsed beam.
A fourth ambulance from Elk Grove Township Fire Protection District was requested at 3:09 am.
One construction worker was transported to Level I Trauma Center Advocate Lutheran General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Three other construction workers were transported to Northwest Community Hospital with less severe injuries.
The crane that failed to hold the load is positioned on I-90 on the eastbound side.
Des Plaines Fire Chief Alan Wax provides details on deadly construction accident under the I-90 bridge over Touhy Avenue.
Posted by CBS Chicago on Tuesday, April 5, 2016
TRAFFIC …
Tuesday morning at 6:55 am EB I-90 was backed up between Golf Road and Route 53; WB I-90 was backed up to I-294.
Touhy Avenue is closed in both directions until safety engineers can determine how to safely remove the collapsed beam, which is 180 feet long and weighs 45 tons. The beam will likely need to be stabilized and cut into smaller segments for removal while the stability of the bridge will also have maintained with additional shoring.
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