Harbour master says 'no reason in the world this man's alive'
A Canadian man in his 20s who was working on the Ambassador Bridge is being hailed as extremely lucky after miraculously surviving a nearly 150-foot fall into the treacherous waters of the Detroit River. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday evening, has left experts astounded and witnesses in awe.
Harbour master Peter Berry expressed his disbelief. "There's no reason in the world this man's alive. In my 14 years, I don't know of anybody that's survived the fall off that bridge."
Berry made the comments in an interview with CTV News Windsor.
The fall from the bridge, known for its height and unforgiving impact, has claimed the lives of numerous unfortunate individuals in the past.
Shortly after 4 p.m., emergency services were summoned to the scene, thanks to the swift actions of alert bystanders. The Detroit Fire Department credits the fast-acting individuals for the man's survival. Within a remarkably short span of less than five minutes, the fallen worker was loaded into an ambulance.
"He had his worst day and his best day all in one day," Berry remarked. "His worst day is falling, and his best day's the fact that he survived and will live to go home." Despite the harrowing ordeal, the worker remained conscious and was able to communicate with rescuers as he was being pulled from the river.
CBC News identified the worker as Spencer Baker. It says Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development confirmed Baker works for AC Metal in Oldcastle. He was treated in hospital and released Thursday morning.
An investigation into the incident has been initiated by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as confirmed to CTV News Windsor.
The investigation is expected to take several weeks or even months to complete. While the nature of the worker's task at the time of the accident remains uncertain, Berry indicated that he was positioned on the U.S. side of the bridge when the incident occurred.
The company that owns the Ambassador Bridge stated that the survivor is an employee of a contractor, shedding some light on his employment status.
The news of this remarkable survival resonated deeply with Joshua Rene, who tragically lost his father, Jamie Barker, in a fall from the same bridge in November 2000. Expressing his anger and concern, Rene said, "You don't want other people to go through it. You kind of ask yourself, when is enough?"
Rene, who has since taken on a part-time public speaking role through 'Threads of Life,' a charity supporting families affected by workplace tragedies, emphasized the importance of maintaining a vigilant approach to workplace safety.
Reflecting on the incident, he urged workers to be mindful of the dangers that can arise from lax safety measures, saying, "You'd like to think that when someone goes to work, that it is a safe environment. The sad truth is it's not always like that."
As the investigation into this extraordinary incident continues, it serves as a poignant reminder of the perils workers may encounter while working at heights.
