NEWBURYPORT — A Broad Street man was listed in critical condition at Massachusetts General Hospital yesterday after he and a co-worker were injured in a fall after scaffolding collapsed at a house they were renovating.
Gerard Boucher, 48, of 3 Broad St., a well-known local builder, was airlifted to the Boston hospital after the Tuesday afternoon accident at 25-27 Kent St. Responders at the scene said Boucher suffered significant head trauma from the fall. He is now in the neurological intensive care unit at the hospital.
Boucher's co-worker, Geraldo Hernandez of Haverhill, was listed in good condition at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center after he too was airlifted into Boston. Police could not immediately confirm Hernandez's age or street address.
Boucher is an active builder in the area, often purchasing properties to renovate them. The listed owner of the Kent Street property is Kentson 29 Realty Trust, owned by Thomas J. Williamson of Middleton.
The property, which had been distressed for many years, changed hands in early November and was undergoing extensive restoration and renovation.
Boucher and Hernandez were reportedly installing fascia board trim along the roof of the two-story house when the end of the scaffolding on which they were working gave way just before 1 p.m., throwing the men onto the concrete sidewalk below.
Both suffered head and back injuries from the fall. Yesterday, the collapsed scaffolding, which was set up in between two closely situated buildings, remained at the work site.
The U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration is investigating, according to police.
The injuries to Boucher and Hernandez point out the need for safety awareness while working in difficult winter conditions, City Marshal Thomas Howard said.
"Every day, we do more and more medical calls for construction accidents," Howard said.
On Tuesday, two men fell from a roof in Methuen. One of those men was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Howard said icy conditions create slipping hazards, and heavier clothes worn by builders to try to retain warmth causes them to lose mobility and agility.
"The temperature alone can cause people to, I don't want to say take shortcuts, but pay less attention to safety," Howard said.
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