On Friday, August 11, 2006 at 2:06 PM, eight Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, seven LAFD Rescue Ambulances, one Heavy Rescue, one Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, one Hazardous Materials Team, one Helicopter, two EMS Battalion Captains, two Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and one Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Assistant Chief Ralph Terrazas responded to a Structural Collapse at 2738 S. Mansfield Av. in Mid-City.

Workers attempting to move a 700 square-foot guest house, jacked the house into the air and were working under the house when it suddenly collapsed trapping a 35 year-old male worker under the structure. Fortunately, the worker was in a position between the floor joists when the house settled.

Though not crushed, the worker was severely pinned against the ground, between the floor joists and the dirt. When Firefighters arrived, they immediately began stabilizing the structure using cribbing and heavy lift air bags. Fellow Firefighters entered the structure attempting to locate the worker under the floor.

After identifying the location of the worker, chainsaws and other heavy rescue tools were used to cut through the wood flooring and floor joists to gain access to the patient. LAFD Urban Search and Rescue personnel, utilizing a variety of tools and techniques were able to remove the patient from his precarious position, provide medical care, and remove the patient to a waiting gurney located outside of the compromised structure.

The patient was transported to Cedar Sinai Medical Center in stable condition suffering from pelvic and abdominal injuries. A second 35 year-old male suffered a minor ankle injury and was transported to Kaiser Hospital in West Los Angeles. The circumstances regarding this incident are under investigation.

Submitted by Ron Myers, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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