A construction worker was seriously injured last week at a worksite in Queens when a cable on a crane snapped and dropped a seven-ton beam on him.

News reports say the I-Beam was attached to a crawler crane and was being used to drive steel sheeting into the ground at the commercial construction site. The cable attaching the beam to the crawler crane snapped and the beam fell on the worker’s legs, pinning him and breaking both legs.

Officials said if the I-Beam hadn’t been hampered by some steel sheeting in its descent it would have fallen with greater impact – and a much worse outcome for the man.

Still, the process of extricating the victim was not an easy one, and involved firefighters stabilizing the I-Beam with ropes and a hoist, then digging underneath so they could slide him out. He was rushed to the hospital in serious condition.