Man falls into acid tank, co-worker jumps in to rescue

A roofing contractor fell 40 feet through a roof and into a vat of acid in northern New Jersey and a co-worker jumped into to save him Monday morning, a fire official says.

The men were working on the roof of a manufacturing plant in Clifton, N.J., when a section of the roof collapsed and the first worker fell through, landing in a tank of nitric acid solution used in making tubing, Clifton Fire Chief Vincent Colavitti told The Record.

 

His co-worker went in to help him.

“It takes a lot of courage,” The Record quoted Colavitti as saying. “He saw one of his co-workers in trouble and he jumped in after him.”

Three others also rushed to help pull out the first victim at Swepco Tube LLC, a manufacturer of metal tubes.
 
The first victim was fully submerged in what was described as a 40- to 70-percent solution of nitric acid, according to The Record.
 
Colavitti said the man suffered burns from head to toe and was in shock when fire and emergency rescue units arrived.
 
His co-worker had signs of serious burns to his leg and abdomen, according to The Record.
 
 The men were taken to separate hospitals for treatment.
 
 The other three also sustained injuries, and were also taken to area hospitals, according to the Record. Their conditions were not immediately available.
Clifton fire officials said the case is under investigation.

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Discuss this post

Great story.. Hello Dumb-ass #1 can I please talk to Dumb-ass #2?? Fricking idiots.

    Reply#1 - Mon May 7, 2012 5:35 PM EDT

    well, aren't you a breath of fresh air. So, someone doing their job that they were paid to do, the roof gives way and the first guy falls and his friend/co worker, hoping to preserve the first guy's life, jumps in to save his life. People who have respect for human life do that now and then, fire fighters do it daily, so based on your thinking, firefighters who risk their lives to save others are dumb-asses.

    Personally i think the only dumb-ass is whomever didn't abort you while they had the chance.

    • 8 votes
    #1.1 - Mon May 7, 2012 6:27 PM EDT

    Wow. How does one define heroism?

    One of the compelling uncertainties of human nature and individual character is that none of us really know how we would respond in a moment of great need (and great personal peril) until called upon to react; to reach inside and find out what we are made of, and whether we have the "right stuff."

    I think we know the answer to that question as regards the coworkers of this man, who did not hesitate to go to his aid despite the near certainty that doing so would imperil them as well.

    You have my admiration. I can only hope that I would have done the same, ... but have sincere doubt that I would have (not a pleasant introspection).

    :-(

    • 1 vote
    #1.2 - Mon May 7, 2012 7:39 PM EDT

    I'm going to assume that when you're typing "Dumb-ass" and "Fricking idiots" you're looking in the mirror and refering to yourself. Here's hoping you fall into a tank of acid real soon. I doubt there will be a "Dumb-ass" around who bothers to save your life which, based on your opinion, would not be worth saving anyway.

    • 1 vote
    #1.3 - Tue May 8, 2012 2:39 AM EDT
    Reply

    Wow - now there's a difference between Act of Courage, Act of Heroism and Act of Stupidity... your choice!

    But dam dude #2 - you didn't need to jump in after him, WTH???

    I'm certain that dude #2 is pretty much done!

      Reply#2 - Mon May 7, 2012 6:01 PM EDT

      Sometimes it is a very blurry line between heroism and stupidity. This is one of those times.

        #2.1 - Mon May 7, 2012 6:48 PM EDT

        That's called putting your friendship to the acid test.

        • 1 vote
        #2.2 - Mon May 7, 2012 7:03 PM EDT

        Dos Locos seems like a very appropriate name. How long did it take you to come up with that?

          #2.3 - Tue May 8, 2012 2:41 AM EDT

          Good One Hoodie, I can't believe some of these posts that are so negative. Human nature says if one of us is in peril, another one of us will help.

            #2.4 - Thu May 10, 2012 5:13 AM EDT
            Reply

            OMG!!! May God Bless those men and give them a full speedy recovery!

            • 5 votes
            Reply#3 - Mon May 7, 2012 6:25 PM EDT

            Wow!!! nitric acid is very bad stuff even in solution. I doubt the man will survive but hope the fellow that tried to save him recovers... as well as the others that were hurt. Sounds like a close group of men.

            • 6 votes
            Reply#4 - Mon May 7, 2012 6:58 PM EDT
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