A demolition equipment operator has suffered life-threatening injuries when a huge slab of concrete fell at a building demolition project on the University of Washington campus, crushing the cab of a high-reach excavator and trapping the man inside for nearly two hours.

A 40,000-pound slab of concrete measuring about 15 feet by by 30 feet fell six stories onto the high-reach excavator as it was working inside an enclosed area at the construction site.

The crane's cab was crushed by the impact and buried in rubble, leaving the operator trapped inside with serious injuries.

Rescue crews used every rescue tool in their inventory to dig through the rubble and extricate the 53-year-old man from the wreckage of the crane, including saws, spreaders, axes and ropes.

We believe the worker is employee of Rhine Demolition out of Tacoma. Walsh Construction is the General Contractor onsite.

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