WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
At about 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday part of an electrical trench within the construction zone of the University of Florida’s Stephen C. O’Connell Center renovations collapsed injuring an employee.
University spokesperson Steve Orlando confirmed the worker was helping to install a conduit for electrical wiring that would run underground and power the facility.
“An employee with All Florida Electric was working in a trench on the west side of the O’Connell Center parking garage when part of the trench collapsed and pinned his legs,” Orlando said.
Orlando said the employee was then freed from the trench and taken to a hospital, though he is unsure of which hospital or what condition he’s in.
Orlando said, to his knowledge, this is the first incident that’s been reported at the construction site. Activity around the collapsed trench, which is secluded from the field, halted but work on the main location continued.
Editors note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the trench was part of the construction site for UF future indoor football practice facility.
