One hurt in floor collapse at Temple construction site
A section of floor of a building under construction at Temple University buckled Thursday afternoon, sending one person to the hospital with unspecified injuries that were described as not life-threatening.
A section of floor of a building under construction at Temple University buckled Thursday afternoon, sending one person to the hospital with unspecified injuries that were described as not life-threatening.
"I heard the rattling. I thought it was a car accident," said Temple junior Maria Macri, 21, who was leaving class in a nearby building when the steel beam tumbled. "I could see smoke coming up, and debris."
The structure at 12th Street and Polett Walk is currently a six-story skeleton. Initial indications were that a failed connector on the fifth floor caused the beam to fall, according to Temple spokesman Ray Betzner.
The man injured, a construction worker, was at Temple University Hospital in stable condition, Betzner said.
The building is to become the seven-story home of the Science Education and Research Center, a 250,000-square-foot, $137 million project due for completion in fall 2014.
The Fire Department declared the situation under control about 2:15 p.m.
"It was loud. It was scary. I'm still kind of shaken," said Veronica Hudacek, 27, who is studying for a master's degree in music education. She said she was walking on 12th near the structure when the section collapsed.
University, state, and federal officials will investigate, Betzner said.
A portion of 12th Street was closed after the incident. Betzner said 12th would remain closed to motor traffic from Norris Street to Montgomery Avenue through Monday.