One Person Hurt When Van Plunges From Miami International Airport Parking Garage
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – An American Airlines employee is hospitalized but doing well after his service van plunged from the fourth floor of a Miami International Airport parking garage.
Miami-Dade police have identified him as 59-year-old Orlando Luna who is from Hialeah.
According to Miami-Dade police, Luna was apparently talking when the van accidentally went through the garage wall and landed upside down on the ground below.
Video from Chopper 4 shows a gaping hole in the parking lot wall and the crumpled up van on the street below.
It happened in the American Airlines parking lot, building #3095.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue rushed Luna to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he was treated for scrapes and bruises.
It's possible, according to police, that a palm tree may have slowed his descent and broken the fall.
"From what it looks like, it could be a possibility. As you can see, it's a very, very high altitude and the best thing that we know right now is that he was wearing his seatbelt and that could be the cause of why he's still here today in good condition," said Detective Argemis Colome of Miami-Dade Police. "We are going to talk to him once he is done getting medical attention at the hospital and we are also interested in looking at a y surveillance tape we might be able to find."
PIX: Van Plunges From Airport Parking Garage
Lt. Kirsten Miller of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "Considering the fall he took he is in very good condition."
At Jackson Memorial Hospital, two American Airlines employees said that Luna was "doing very well." They said family members were with him.
They were not sure when he would be released from the hospital and thought doctors were checking very closely to see if he had a concussion.
American Airlines released the following statement:
"At approximately 8:19 a.m. ET, an American Airlines team member was involved in a motor vehicle accident at Miami International Airport. Our colleague sustained minor injuries, but out of an abundance of caution, was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. We appreciate the assistance of the Miami-Dade Police Department, and the other first responders, who quickly took care of our team member. The details of how this accident occurred is still under investigation."
Luna, according to the airline, is alert and awake, with minor scrapes and bruises.
He works in the training department with the Aircraft Maintenance team.
The parking garage is part of the airline's maintenance hangar at the airport.
Airport operations were not affected.
