Serious Tower Climber Accident Followed by Botched Self-Rescue

September 30, 2014

By J. Sharpe Smith

A tower technician remains hospitalized after an accident Sept. 2 on a tower in Norman, Oklahoma, which injured a coworker during the self-rescue.

When fire crews arrived, Lucas Mullins was hanging unconscious in his safety harness 125 feet above the ground, suffering from a head wound. Witnesses reportedly said he had been struck by a rope that had snapped.

“He was injured significantly and losing a tremendous amount of blood,” said Jim Bailey, deputy chief, Norman Fire Department. “I presumed that he was dead on top of the pole because of the amount of blood covering the entire area.”

As fire officials awaited additional equipment, Josh Harjo, the tech working with Mullins on the tower, signaled to officials below that he would perform the rescue.

“[Harjo] hooked into the injured man and they came down very quickly, out of control,” Deputy Fire Chief Jim Bailey told AGL Link. “They got hung up in some cable 20 feet before they hit the ground.” A fire truck with a ladder then moved in and brought the workers down. The men were transported to Oklahoma University Medical Center.

Reportedly, the 190-foot monopole is owned by Dragon Communications, Oklahoma City, and the men are employed by Tower Services Inc. of Edmond, Oklahoma.