By Stacey Mulick
The News Tribune
Copyright 2007 The News Tribune
TACOMA, Wash. — Tacoma and Gig Harbor firefighters rescued a worker who got entangled while working inside one of the towers of the new Tacoma Narrows bridge, the Tacoma Fire Department reported.
The scene was cleared and all lanes were reopened at 11:55 a.m., the state Department of Transportation reported.
The man, a contract worker with Tacoma Narrows Constructors, injured his leg. The extent of the injury wasn’t immediately known.
The man was working in the southeast tower, about 140 feet below the bridge deck when he became entangled and called for help.
The worker was completely enclosed within the tower.
“He became entangled doing what he was doing,” Tacoma Fire assistant chief Dale Vaughn said.
The Tacoma Fire Department got the call about 9:20 a.m. The department’s technical rescue team worked with the technical rescue team from Gig Harbor Fire to reach the worker, Vaughn said.
Emergency vehicles blocked the two right lanes of the eastbound Highway 16 near the east tower, transportation officials reported.
The man was rescued at 11:30 a.m.
Thursday’s rescue operation was the first on the new bridge.