The Chicago Tribune has a brief article about a bridge worker that fell into a void space that houses a bridge’s counter weights at Randolph Avenue this morning:

A bridge worker was injured this morning after he fell 15 feet as he was working on the Randolph Street bridge on the Chicago River, officials said.

The Chicago Department of Transportation worker fell at about 11:30 a.m., said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Joseph Roccasalva.

The man, 59, fell into a hole on the bank of the river where the bridge’s counter-balance weights are located, allowing it to be raised and lowered, Roccasalva said.

The bridge had been lifted as workers did spring maintenance, said Roccasalva.

The worker suffered multiple injures and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital at about noon in serious-to-critical condition as a precaution, said Roccasalva. The man’s injuries were not considered life-threatening and his condition was stabilized, he said.

Larry Shapiro arrived on the opposite side of the river as Engine 2 arrived, but after the worker had been rescued. Here are a few images.

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

Tags: Chicago Engine 2, Chicago Fire Boat, Chicago Fire Departemnt, Larry Shapiro, The Christopher Wheatley Fire Boat