Six construction workers were injured Tuesday when the steel framework of the field house they were working on suddenly collapsed at Bryant University in Rhode Island.
According to the Boston Globe, emergency crews from nearby departments rushed to the scene, and pulled the six workers from the wreckage. Each suffered only minor injuries, according to authorities.
“They’re very lucky to be alive,” said Smithfield deputy fire chief James Grenga.
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The cause of the collapse is still under investigation, but the steel framework was supposed to become the ribbing and rafters for an indoor practice facility, containing a full 100-yard playing field for Bryant’s athletic teams.
“Something went wrong,” said Smithfield fire chief Bob Seltzer. “We don’t know what it was.
The investigation into what exactly caused the collapse could take months.
In the meantime, inspectors from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration have surveyed the scene.
“The purpose of OSHA’s inspection is to determine whether or not there were any violations of workplace safety standards in connection to this incident,” OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald said.
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Fall classes at Bryant University have not yet started, and only international students and student athletes are on campus. No students were near the site of the accident when it occurred, and the accident is not expected to delay the beginning of the school year.
