A New Jersey roofer yesterday accidentally plunged 40 feet into a vat of acid — and a hero co-worker leaped into the corrosive pitfall to save him.
The two men had been repairing the roof at Swepco Tools in Clifton about 8:40 a.m. when the first man fell through a rotted section and tumbled into the tank, which contained a 40 to 70 percent solution of nitric acid used to make metal tubing.
His brave co-worker then jumped into the waist-high vat of acid to aid him, authorities said.
The two men were eventually pulled to safety by three Swepco workers, authorities said.
The first man — in his 40s — suffered burns from his head to his feet. Fire officials said he was incoherent when they arrived.
He was rushed to a nearby park, where a rescue chopper picked him up and flew him to St. Barnabas Medical Center with life-threatening burns and injuries.
His rescuer was rushed to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center with serious burns on his legs and torso.
The three Swepco employees were taken to local hospitals with burns on their hands and arms suffered when they reached into the tank.
The two men had been repairing the roof at Swepco Tools in Clifton about 8:40 a.m. when the first man fell through a rotted section and tumbled into the tank, which contained a 40 to 70 percent solution of nitric acid used to make metal tubing.
His brave co-worker then jumped into the waist-high vat of acid to aid him, authorities said.
The two men were eventually pulled to safety by three Swepco workers, authorities said.
The first man — in his 40s — suffered burns from his head to his feet. Fire officials said he was incoherent when they arrived.
He was rushed to a nearby park, where a rescue chopper picked him up and flew him to St. Barnabas Medical Center with life-threatening burns and injuries.
His rescuer was rushed to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center with serious burns on his legs and torso.
The three Swepco employees were taken to local hospitals with burns on their hands and arms suffered when they reached into the tank.
