Fife worker speaks of life changing injuries after being buried in concrete working on Cardenden flats

A construction worker has spoken of his life changing injuries after being buried in freshly poured concrete while working on flats in Cardenden.

Jordan Mackenzie spent 17 days in an induced coma in hospital before beginning his long recovery. The incident happened in July at the former Bowhill Miners' Institute which is being turned into flats. Three ambulances were sent to the scene along with a special operations team and a trauma team, and three fire crews from the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service.

Jordan, 25 from Crossgates, was helping pour concrete when the ceiling above him gave way, encasing him in the quick-drying mix and rubble. He suffered multiple bone fractures and chemical burns and was only found after a colleague spotted his foot among the debris. The dad-of-one is now recovering in hospital but is positive about the future with the hope of spending quality time with family at Christmas.

He said: “There is no doubt I’m lucky to be alive but I’m trying to stay positive and focus on what’s important. I was trapped under everything – the concrete came down along with the steel and knocked me to the ground and everything landed on top of me. With the sheer weight of it all I could feel myself struggling to move.

Jordan MacKenzie shows some of the injuries he sustained after being buried in concrete (Pics: Jordan MacKenzie)

“I was in a lot of pain almost immediately but then with adrenaline and everything it wasn’t long before all I felt was total panic.”

Emergency crews raced to the scene but it was an agonising wait as firefighters feared the rest of the structure could collapse.

Jordan added: “I was stuck for about 30 minutes. It was terrifying. I have vague flashbacks of what happened as I was drifting in and out of consciousness. One thing I’ll never forget was the moment one worker there managed to pull my head above the concrete and clean my face so I could breathe – I genuinely believe his actions saved my life.”

Jordan was was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and spent 17 days in an induced coma. The former amateur footballer with Cowdenbeath United then spent 12 days at the ITU burns unit at St John’s Hospital in Livingston before being transferred to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy and now Queen Margaret in Dunfermline where he remains an inpatient.

Jordan said: “I suffered bad burns to my arms and leg which required skin grafts. My eyes were also badly burned by the chemicals in the concrete and doctors tell me I am very lucky to still have my sight. I had cuts and fractures all over my body – my face, ribs, femur, shoulder, pelvis and spine – so I needed a lot of surgery for that too.

“It’s been a painful and stressful recovery mentally and physically but I’m getting there despite some injuries being life changing. More than anything I want to thank everyone - my colleagues who helped in the immediate aftermath, from the firefighters who got me out, to the NHS staff who treated me to my friends and family who have been supportive throughout in more ways than I can describe. Right now I just want to focus on my recovery and see my loved ones over Christmas and start to look forward again.”

The building collapse remains under investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

Innes Laing, Partner at Digby Brown Solicitors in Kirkcaldy, is currently helping Jordan and his family around the probe.

He said: “What happened to Jordan is the stuff of nightmares and while it’s incredible he survived it doesn’t change the fact that the incident should not have happened in the first place. Our focus right now is on helping Jordan with his recovery and making sure he and his family have the right support in place.”