Emergency crews were called to the area of the Labatt Health Sciences Building at Western University after two workers were injured.
An alarm alerted rescuers to the situation around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday.
The construction workers were on the job in a 4.5-metre deep hole when a water pipe burst while they were testing it.
The workers were struck by debris, but only one had to be taken to the hospital. He was rescued by the fire department as he was in a semi-conscious state.
“They had excavated the ground to perform work on various pipes. It was just something they were testing - the pressure in a steam pipe. Perhaps a malfunction was there or a design flaw in the pipe and it ruptured on the workers,” said Platoon Chief Dave Walmsley.
The London Fire Department says the technical rescue team assisted in a 'low slope rescue' using ropes and a Stokes stretcher.
“We need to have a patient stabilized…so there’s no danger of him falling back in,” Walmsley said.
The exact location of the incident is unclear, but there is construction in the area on a new building for the FIMS and Nursing faculties.
There are no details on the worker's injuries.
The Ministry of Labour is investigating.
Walmsley says the rescue was a well coordinated response by the fire department, Western police, paramedics and Western's Student Emergency Response Team.
