Posted 10:45 pm Friday, March 08, 2013
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Tyler man injured after falling from ground storage tank
A 25-year-old Tyler man remained in the hospital Thursday afternoon after falling from a ground storage tank earlier in the morning.
The man and two of his friends climbed to the top of a ground storage tank on the 2900 block of Rockbridge Road in Tyler for the view, Don Martin, spokesman for the Tyler Police Department said.
About 3:45 a.m., as the trio was admiring the view, one man got too close to the edge of the still under-construction ground storage tank and fell about 50 feet, Martin said. Alcohol was involved, he said.
The man had a bloody nose but was conscious. He was taken to East Texas Medical Center, where he was listed in good condition.
"He was very lucky," Martin said.
No charges have been filed.
Greg Morgan, managing director of utilities and public works for the city, said construction began last year and is expected to be complete in May. The storage tanks were in being painted last week.
Morgan said the city will take over responsibility for the booster well site once it is complete. Until then, the liability is that of the contractors, he said.
"I've talked to the contractors, and there were barricades around the site," he said.
Morgan said the city wished the man a speedy recovery.
"It's a tragedy when something like this happens..." he said. "It doesn't matter how much fencing and security you put around them, people still climb them. You can go into any town in Texas and see graffiti (on storage tanks). There are still people that will take that risk."
