Cell Tower News: Climber injured, confusion ensues

by Jarad Matula July 10, 2015

written by Jarad Matula July 10, 2015

Centerline at odds with tower tech injury report

Earlier this week it was reported that a Massachusetts tower climber working in Gorham, Maine, fell from a 300-foot guyed tower owned by Crown Castle International. The man, yet to be identified, suffered serious injuries according to authorities on the scene. Afterwards, he was transported to Maine Medical Center. An update on his condition has not be given yet.

This is where confusion sets in. Initial reports claimed that while working as part of a crew for Centerline Communications, the man was removing transmission lines and a section mount when he fell. However, when reached for comment on the incident, Centerline had a completely different story. Centerline’s owner, Josh Gelman, claims that the climber was on the ground, operating a cathead when the incident happened. Even the police have walked back their initial report, claiming they never said anyone fell off of a structure, just reiterating that he was injured while removing cables and a section mount.

The Maine Department of Labor is still investigating the incident, so we will not know anything further until its investigation is complete. In the meantime, Gelman did report the climber is in stable condition, although the severity of his injuries is not known at this time.