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10-Year-Old Boy Rescued After Falling Into Manhole In Brooklyn

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A 10-year-old boy is hospitalized in stable condition after falling about 16-feet down a manhole in Brooklyn.

The incident happened on the corner of 49th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park around 8:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Boy Rescued After Falling Into Manhole In Brooklyn

Moshe Altman, was crossing the street when he apparently stepped into a manhole that was not covered, CBS 2's John Slattery reported.

A source said that police officers had just responded to an open manhole and were preparing to put cones up, when the boy fell into the hole, CBS 2's John Slattery reported.

Two Verizon workers were on the job in the neighborhood looking for parking when they saw the commotion in the intersection, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported.

They pulled over and rescued the boy with a ladder.

Verizon Workers Who Rescued Boy From Manhole
These two men pulled a 10-year-old boy from a manhole on Jan 14, 2014. (credit: Juliet Papa/1010 WINS)

"Me and my partner ran out, we saw the kid down there," Verizon worker Mike Kroski said. "He seemed okay, I personally think he was in shock."

"We put the ladder together, got the ladder down, we told the boy to start climbing up, and when he got to the top, me and my partner grabbed his jacket, pulled him out of the hole and the ambulance took over," Verizon worker Tom Prestia said. "I'm glad that the boy is OK."

It appears that the manhole cover had possibly broken under the weight of a vehicle and then fell into the hole, Slattery reported.

Boy Falls Into Manhole In Brooklyn
A boy fell into this manhole in Brooklyn on Jan. 14, 2014. (credit: Mike Kroski)

New York City Department of Environmental Protection crews later pulled out a broken cover from the manhole and replaced it with a new one.

"DEP crews responded to this location and found the cover for the manhole broken and inside of the sewer line below the street," the DEP said in a statement. "Repairs to the manhole are underway and an investigation into the circumstances of the accident will take place."

The boy's father Yitshak Altman, praised the utility workers.

"Yes, amazing. God brought the right guys at the right time," he said, "It was a miracle."

The boy suffered a bruised leg and was taken to Lutheran Hospital, where he is listed in stable condition.

"Thank God he was pulled out and seems to be okay," Assemblyman Dov Hikind said in a statement. "It is important that everyone is aware of the work that is going on in Borough Park so such accidents can be avoided. Please warn your children to be extra careful."

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