Man in critical condition after industrial accident in Stoney Creek

A construction worker is fighting for his life after falling from a fifth story balcony at a condo development in Stoney Creek.

Hamilton Police and the Ministry of Labour are still at a condo construction site on Shoreview Place in Stoney Creek off of North Service Road. Workers told CHCH that the man was conscious and tried to move after his fall, but was advised to stay still until paramedics arrived.

A gray pillar near a fifth floor balcony was left only half stuccoed.

Workers say a man who they believe was in his 40’s was working on it when he fell 50 feet to the ground.

“I couldn’t tell if he was passed out from heat stroke. I didn’t know he had fallen until after the fact.”

“He fell over the fence, I think he was dizzy or something he fell from the balcony? Yes the balcony, fifth floor.”

“I just heard the horn go off and then my foreman came over and told us we need to leave.”

Hamilton Police say the man, who they have not identified is in critical condition in hospital.

“Its a pretty high fall. A lot of things can get damaged when you fall from that height.”

“I think he had maybe a broken back, broken leg, broken arm.”

A condo building near North Service Road called Saphire is owned by a local development group called New Horizon, hires trades people and contractors to work on the building. The man who fell was a stucco worker for a Toronto based company called Ancan Construction. They have yet to return our phone calls.

The developer, New Horizon says safety is of the utmost importance on their site.

“We have regular inspections from the ministry we have a health and safety committee that meets on site either weekly or bi weekly. There are representatives from all of the companies that have to come to those meetings. It’s taken very very seriously.”

Workers say they feel safe on the job site.

“No problems, never. I don’t know what happened today.”

“They are very stiff on the safety here.”

The workers here say everyone is required to wear a safety harness when working on the balconies.

“Sometimes you have to remove your harness to adjust positions or something like that. It was probably something like that.”

“I can assume he wasn’t if he fell.”

The Ministry of Labour says so far no orders or requirement have been issued for the employer but that this investigation is ongoing.