Worker injured in fall through roof opening at Myrhe's building

A worker was injured Monday when he fell through the roof of the Myrhe's Restaurant building on Bay Street.

Port Orchard police and South Kitsap Fire & Rescue personnel responded to the scene about 1:45 p.m. Monday and found the injured man sitting with his back against the wall on the second floor of the building, which was extensively damaged in a fire July 1.

Another worker who had been on the roof said the man fell through an opening to the floor about 10 feet below.

The injured man, who was heavyset and appeared to be in his 40s, had blood on his face and was unable to recall what happened when paramedics asked him. He was able to walk downstairs and out the rear door before he was taken by ambulance to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton for evaluation.

The co-worker said he and the injured man, whom he knows only by the first name Casey, work for a company called LAR.

Victor Arroyo, general manager of Renton-based LAR, said by phone Monday that the injured man was released from the hospital later that day and did not suffer any broken bones or other serious injuries in the fall.

Arroyo said an LAR crew of up to five workers had been removing asbestos from the fire-damaged building for about a month, and that Monday was the last day workers were finishing cleanup on the project.

Myrhe's has been closed since the fire. Although a message that's been on the readerboard at the front of the building for months says "Watch for reopening," the interior of the building is gutted. Attempts to contact Myrhe's owners, John and Mindy Lora, have been unsuccessful.

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