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Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA

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Inspection Detail



Accident Investigation Summary
Summary Nr: 200375921 Event: 03/26/2012Employee Is Struck By Falling Ceiling During House Fire
At 8:00 a.m. on March 24, 2012, Employee #1, Employee #2, and Employee #3 were conducting salvage and overhaul duties related to a house fire in Columbia, SC. Employees #1, Employee #2 and Employee #3 entered the house through the rear entrance of the home and proceeded to approximately 10 feet into the living room, looking for fire hot spots and personal belongings for the resident of the home. A significant portion of the ceiling, composed of sheetrock, collapsed and fell onto the head of Employee #1. Other firefighters in the area had been spraying water in the attic space above the living room in their firefighting efforts. Ceilings in the other rooms had already collapsed prior to the entry of Employees #1, Employee #2 and Employee #3. Employee #1 was dazed but he managed to exit the building under his own power. Employees #2 and Employee #3 were approximately 5 to 10 feet behind Employee #1, when the ceiling fell without warning, and received no contact with the falling sheetrock. Employee #1 received treatment at the scene from certified first aid responders for head and neck injuries, and was transported via ambulance to the local hospital for further observation. Employee #1 suffered a strain or sprain to his neck.
Keywords: firefighter, ceiling, neck, struck by, falling object, sprain
Inspection Degree Nature Occupation
1 316203108 Hospitalized injury Strain/Sprain Firefighting occupations

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