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Pair survive 70ft plunge
TWO men were "lucky to be alive" today after surviving an horrific 70ft plunge from a crane in Sheffield.
It happened at the Bobby Beveridge Plant Training site, in Deadman's Hole Lane, Tinsley, when a steel rope holding a cradle below the crane snapped yesterday afternoon.
The cradle, holding the owner's son, instructor Ian Beveridge, aged 30, from Tinsley, and Wayne Land, 33, of Templeborough, smashed through the roof of a portable building.
Firefighters said their lives were saved because the roof broke their fall and they did not land on to concrete or a spiked fence.
Mr Beveridge, who suffered suspected injuries to his back, ribs and one wrist, was flown to the Northern General Hospital by air ambulance.
Mr Land was taken by conventional ambulance. He has suspected back injuries. Both men are said to be conscious and in a stable condition.
Fire station officer Eric Bugdol said: "They were so lucky I'd get my lottery numbers off them. The fact they went through the roof of the portable building has without a doubt saved their lives. It slowed the fall sufficiently to restrict their injuries .
"The rest of the site is concrete and there is also a spiked steel security fence 10ft to the left of where they landed. If they had ended up anywhere else I would have been very surprised if they survived."
The incident, at about 2pm, is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive. It is not known how the half-inch-thick steel cable snapped.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance was diverted to collect Mr Beveridge while on its way to another incident .
A spokesman said: "He was very, very lucky. He had multiple injuries none of which appeared to be life-threatening, was talking and could move, but was in a substantial amount of pain."
Both men were strapped to back and neck restraints in case of spinal injuries.
A shocked worker said: "The two men were still talking when they left. We're all too upset to talk."
Owner Bobby Beveridge, was said to be "devastated."
He was not available for comment.
Insp Simon Davies, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "It appears to be a straight forward accident, but it's quite a serious one. "
Last edited by eric sean; 29-04-2006 at 09:58.
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