Worker Dives in Acid to Save Colleague?
A hero has emerged after a roofing accident resulted in one man becoming submerged in a vat of acid.
Martin Davis fell 40 feet into a tank of nitric acid while working on a roofing project for a manufacturing plant in Clifton, New Jersey. The man was quickly submerged by the lethal liquid and would have perished had it not been for Rob Nucklos, 51.
A co-worker of Davis, Nucklos jumped in the vat of acid after the fallen man and dragged him out with the help of three other colleagues.
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The incident took place Monday at Swepco Tube LLC, in New Jersey. Davis was left in critical condition with a broken rib, punctured lung, and severe acid burns.
Nucklos later denied having jumped in after his co-worker and instead explained to a relative who chose not to be named, that he and three other men had assisted in pulling Davis to safety.
The three other roofers were identified as Rob Fulton, 24; Joe Dabkowski, 45; and William Walker, who is in his 20's according to North Jersey News.
"I had to get him out of there," Nucklos told firefighters immediately after the ordeal.
Clifton Fire Chief Vincent Colavitti Jr. was the first to suggest that Nucklos had jumped in after his co-worker. The fire chief later stated that all four Gar Con Enterprises workers had been extremely brave.
"It takes a lot of courage," Colavitti said after reporting that Davis had been "incoherent" when he was pulled out of the acid.
"They have him on a breathing apparatus and he's in critical condition," John Davis, brother to the victim said. "His condition is not so good. But he's a young guy. He'll pull through."
Other roofers reported that the acid had been diluted and was not strong enough to kill Davis. Two of the roofers who assisted in Davis' rescue went to the hospital for irritation on their hands and arms. Nucklos was also admitted to the hospital but later discharged after being treated for burns on his legs and abdomen.
