CLIFTON, N.J. – A roofing contractor who fell 40 feet into a tank of acid at a northern New Jersey industrial site Monday morning was rescued by a coworker who jumped into the tank to save him.
The contractor, who fell 40 feet through the roof of metal tube manufacturer Swepco Tube into the tank of corrosive nitric acid at around 8:40am, suffered burns to much of his body, NorthJersey.com reported.
The worker, identified only as a man in his 40s, was completely submerged in the tank, Clifton Fire Chief Vince Colavitti said.
His coworker jumped into the waist-deep acid and pulled him out with the help of three other coworkers, according to Colavitti.
"It takes a lot of courage," he told NorthJersey.com. "He saw one of his coworkers in trouble and he jumped in after him."
The victim was incoherent and apparently in shock when he was pulled out.
Firefighters cut off his clothes and sprayed him with water to stop the acid from further burning his flesh, Colavitti said. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby park, where a helicopter airlifted him to a nearby hospital.
His condition was not immediately known but his injuries were described as life-threatening, according to NorthJersey.com.
The coworker who rescued him was hospitalized with serious injuries to his legs and abdomen, fire officials said, and three other employees suffered irritation to their hands and arms.
Swepco Tube employees underwent decontamination procedures after the accident.
Colavitti said acid steam and mist from the tank had eaten away at the integrity of the roof the worker fell through.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was on the scene investigating, NorthJersey.com reported. Swepco Tube representatives declined to comment to the website.
