A worker was temporarily trapped Tuesday afternoon when a retaining wall collapsed at the Gwinnett County home of an Atlanta Falcons player.
The man, whose name was not released, was working in a ditch when the wall collapsed around noon, pinning him face down against a concrete wall at the Buford home, according to Capt. Tommy Rutledge with the Gwinnett fire department. Property records show the home, located on Camp Branch Road, is owned by Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones.
Firefighters believe the man was pushed by dirt and concrete, which covered the majority of the man’s lower waist and lower body during the hour-long rescue, Rutledge said.
The victim was alert and able to talk through a 2-foot hole to firefighters, who worked to free the man while avoiding further collapse, Rutledge said. Shortly after 1 p.m., the man was freed and transported by ambulance to the hospital for evaluation.
“He was conscious and able to communicate verbally with firefighters,” Rutledge said in an emailed statement. “The extent and severity of injuries are unknown at this point.”
Because of the weight of the concrete, firefighters were concerned with the potential for the victim to suffer internal injuries, Rutledge said.
In a statement to Channel 2 Action News, the Atlanta Falcons said that Jones, 24, is a private person, but will likely reach out to the victim. Jones was a first-round draft pick for the team in 2011.
The fire department notified OSHA, which is protocol for a work-related incident.
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