Braintree water tank rescue: Father's body recovered after 16 hours

BRAINTREE, Mass. — A series of equipment failures at a Braintree water tank led to the death of a worker and the hospitalization of another.

The rescue took place on Lincoln Street and began around 10:30 a.m. Two people were on site inspecting one of the town's water tanks when one man's equipment failed while he was in the water tank.

The other worker, who was there as a spotter and not wearing diving equipment, jumped into the 45 degree water to try and save his co-worker, who has been identified as 47-year-old David Scott.

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Emergency crews responded and were able to save the spotter, a 24-year-old man. However, they were unable to rescue Scott, who died. Crews said weather conditions made the rescue tough.

“We gave it our best effort for the second victim. But partially through the rescue mission, we decided it wasn't fruitful to put anybody else's life in jeopardy,” said Braintree officials.

The 24-year-old was taken to the hospital along with a 14-year-old boy who was present at the water tank, but not working.

Every five years, a water tank's inside coating has to be inspected, which is what the father and 24-year-old worker were doing Thursday. FOX25 has learned that the town of Braintree put out a bid to inspect the water tower, and a Kentucky company was the lowest bid; in this case they subcontracted to a Texas company. Officials had to drain the one million gallon water tank in order to recover the man's body. The body was recovered after 16 hours, according to a member of the Plymouth County Technical Rescue Team.

Cox Media Group