CLINTON HILL — An MTA worker was seriously hurt when he fell head first about 25 foot into a manhole as he was lowering cable into a below-ground vault, officials said.
The worker, whose name and age were not immediately released, was climbing down a ladder in a substation vault near Fulton and Downing streets about 11:19 a.m. while his colleague stood at street level, according to FDNY Battalion Chief John Rozas.
"He was lowering cable. The rope snapped and he either lost his balance or momentum pulled him in," Rozas said.
He fell head first, Rozas said.
"He was conscious when we got there, some serious injuries," the chief added.
Power was cut off to the vault while firefighters worked for about 20 minutes to pull the worker up to ground level, officials said.
"They lowered the pulley system down to him," Rozas said.
"They slowly removed him so as not to make his injuries worse."
The worker was treated for serious injuries at Kings County Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition, officials said.
The MTA did not immediately provide further information.
