Construction workers jump to safety from burning scissor lift basket in Boise
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BOISE (KBOI) — Two construction workers had to jump to safety after a welding blanket caught fire on a scissor lift basket at the new Simplot headquarters in downtown Boise.
Boise Fire says the construction workers were treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns, but were released on scene.
“They were on the lift and it was a long ways for them to be able to make it over to the side of the building to jump off,” Boise Fire safety spokesman Jason Lewis said. “Workers on the ground level were able to swing the boom over so it was closer to jump from the lift to the sixth floor.”
There’s still no word yet on what caused the blanket to catch fire. An investigator is on scene.
“…Considering how far of a fall that was, luckily people on scene were able to do something very quickly and swing those guys over to safety,” Lewis said.
Jeff Syddall, a construction worker, told KBOI 2News that several people started yelling “get me down, get me down.”
“They lost control of the functions to move it because it short circuited but some guys on the ground were able to get control of it. Right as they got control of it they were able to get it to a point where they could get to safety on the building,” Syddall said.
Construction workers said managers cleared the site for the afternoon.
A Simplot spokesman tells KBOI 2News the damage inside the building was not significant, and will not impact the construction timeline for the new headquarters building. It’s still scheduled to be completed on October 1.
Spokesman Ken Day said Hoffman Construction, the company working on this project, will also be starting up an investigation into what happened Monday afternoon.
The article was originally published by fellow CNN affiliate KBOI News. It is used here with permission.