Landis man airlifted after being crushed in porch collapse

Published 4:36 pm Thursday, April 8, 2021

LANDIS — A man working on his house Thursday morning was airlifted to Wake Forest Baptist Health after being injured and trapped under a collapsed porch.

Public Safety Director Zachary Lechette said around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday the Landis Fire Department responded to a call in the 400 block of East Rice Street of a structural collapse with one subject trapped under the roof. Lechette said the homeowner was conducting renovations on his front porch before it collapsed on top of him.

After securing and shoring up the porch, Landis firefighters worked with the help of Kannapolis Fire Department, China Grove Fire Department, Rowan County Rescue Squad and Rowan County Emergency Management Services to pull the man from under the porch deck. Lechette estimates about 30 minutes passed from receiving the call to extricating the victim.

Lechette said EMS transported the man to South Main Street in Landis, where he was airlifted to the hospital by Novant Health. Lechette said the man suffered injuries such as bruises and obvious fractures from being crushed, but the extent of trauma and internal injuries was unknown. Lechette said the man was conscious and talking to responders as he was being transported.

Lechette said the roof has been stabilized and the property has been turned over to the homeowner for insurance claims.

About Natalie Anderson

Natalie Anderson covers the city of Salisbury, politics and more for the Salisbury Post. She joined the staff in January 2020 after graduating from Louisiana State University, where she was editor of The Reveille newspaper. Email her at natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com or call her at 704-797-4246.

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