OTTAWA -- Five workers were hurt in an incident at the construction site of the new Airport Station on Ottawa’s Trillium Line.
The incident happened just before 10:30 a.m. in the loading dock area of the Ottawa Airport, where work is underway on the Stage 2 South Extension construction project to extend the LRT from Bayview Station to Riverside South.
In an email to CTV News Ottawa, SNC Lavalin says the incident happened at the Ottawa Airport constructions site for the future Airport Station and elevated guideway as part of the Trillium Line south extension.
The spokesperson says “crews were assembling rebar cages when one collapsed onto five workers who were assembling the cage from inside.”
At the site, construction crews are currently constructing caissons, which are deep cylindrical shafts drilled into the ground. Once drilled, rebar cages are lowered into the shaft before the hole is filled with concrete. SNC Lavalin says the caissons provide the foundations to support the superstructure of the station and elevated guideway.
Transportation Services General Manager John Manconi informed Council of the incident in a memo just after 2 p.m.
“Preliminary information indicates that the workers were hurt while working on a rebar cage,” Manconi writes.
“Five workers were injured. One person was treated on site and four have been taken to hospital.”
Ottawa Paramedics tells CTV News Ottawa four adult males were transported to hospital in stable condition. One victim was being treated for potential spinal injuries, and one male had head and chest injuries.
SNC Lavalin says the Ministry of Labour conducted a thorough inspection after the incident. The ministry has put a hold on the continuation of rebar assembly for caisson work, but SNC Lavalin and its partners can resume other activities at the site.
Manconi told Council that Ottawa Police, the contractor, TransitNext and the Ministry of Labour are all on site.
The $1.6 billion Trillium Line expansion is scheduled to be completed in 2022. It will run trains from Bayview Station to Riverside South, with a link to the Ottawa Airport.
