Two crewmen were seriously injured when one fell from a construction platform Wednesday morning while performing rehabilitation work on the Ross Island Bridge.

A worker with Minnesota-based Abhe & Svoboda Inc. fell 30 feet onto lower scaffolding, injuring a co-worker in the process.

Portland Fire & Rescue received the call at 8:27 a.m. and responded to 3030 S.W. Moody Ave. The two men were attached to backboards by emergency personnel and lowered to the ground using the boom extension of a vehicle parked below, according to Lt. Rich Chapman of Portland Fire & Rescue.

The injured men were transported to Oregon Health & Science University.

The Ross Island Bridge Rehabilitation Project, with a cost in the $30 million to $40 million range, began in 2014, Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Dave Thompson said. The project involves sandblasting, restoring historic colors and removing lead-based paint.

Abhe & Svoboda Chief Financial Officer Tom Stockert said the company is “cautiously optimistic” about the conditions of the two men. He denied they were father and son, as some Portland media outlets reported.

Falls from height are by far the leading cause of death in the construction industry, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. And falls to a lower level were the leading type of construction fall in Oregon for 2013-15, causing a total of 774 injuries. In 2016, fall-protection requirements were the most-cited rule by Oregon OSHA.

Oregon OSHA is investigating the incident.

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