Man injured after falling 25 feet from roof

January 08, 2005|by BRIAN SHAPPELL

HAGERSTOWN - A Hancock man was rushed to Washington County Hospital Friday after falling nearly 25 feet from the roof of a business northeast of Hagerstown.

Robert Churchey, 55, fell from a third-story roof at Eichelberger's Home Improvement at 20021 Leitersburg Pike just after 11 a.m.

Churchey, who was taken to the hospital by ambulance, was listed in fair condition Friday at Washington County Hospital, a hospital spokesman said.

Longmeadow Volunteer Fire Co. Capt. Jason Eckstine said the victim fell off the building while working on a roofing project at the building, which houses Executone of Western Maryland Inc.

Eckstine said the victim, whom he declined to identify by name, sustained head trauma and several other injuries.

"He's in a lot of pain right now," Eckstine said at the scene.

Tom Gross, of Eichelberger's Home Improvement, said Churchey fell because the ladder spun when bungee cords at the top "cut loose." Gross said Churchey, who was helping in a supervising role Friday, fell, hit his leg on a Dumpster and hit the ground head-first.

"In 36 years, I've only seen two people fall," Gross said. "I don't ever want to see anything like that again."

Gross said Churchey, who was conscious after the fall, had many years of experience working as a roofer and was among his closest friends for two decades.

"I saw him lying there," Gross said, pointing to bloodied portion of blacktop next to a ladder and the Dumpster. "It broke my heart because there isn't anything you can do."

|

|

|