BREWER, Maine — Two ramps on I-395 in Brewer closed Monday afternoon due to a construction incident that caused injuries to two men.
According to Maine State Police, two workers fell about 20 feet from a wooden walkway while working on the Wilson Street overpass bridge project, which is part of a Maine Department of Transportation project to replace several interstate bridges.
It happened just before 3:30 p.m.
The two men were removing cross bracing that connected the outer bridge beam to the beam beside it. They had removed several braces when the outer bridge beam apparently twisted unexpectedly as the support was removed, causing the platform they were standing on to shift out of the flange area and fall to the roadway below.
Garrett Mulligan, 19, and Darren Pelletier, 56, suffered injuries and were taken by ambulance to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.
Police said there were fortunately no vehicles immediately below the area as the men fell.
The injured men work for Wyman and Simpson out of Richmond. Work on the project was suspended and the off ramps were closed for several hours while the debris was removed and the site was made safe for traffic to resume.
Officials from the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were contacted by Maine State Police, and are the lead investigating agency.
NEWS CENTER Maine is at the scene and will update this story when more information becomes available.
