Covanta Hempstead recycling plant worker rescued after fall, Nassau police say

Emergency responders rescued a worker Tuesday who fell and became trapped at the Covanta Hempstead energy-from-waste recycling plant in Westbury, Nassau County police said.

The worker, an unidentified 53-year-old man, was taken to a hospital with serious head trauma, police said. A police medic, while assisting with the rescue, suffered a minor injury and also was taken to a hospital.

The rescue happened at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, police said. Officers who arrived at the plant determined that the worker had fallen through a hatch on the roof. The man had fallen about 20 feet onto another tier of roofing, police said.

Emergency Services Unit officers, with help from Westbury Fire Department members, were able to rescue the man using the fire department's ladder truck and rescue basket, police said.

Police and firefighters, as well as an aviation unit, had responded to the scene, at 600 Merchants Concourse, officials said.

The investigation is ongoing, police said.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”