OTTAWA — A workplace injury in the downtown LRT tunnel earlier this month has the worker and the city telling two very different versions of the story.

The worker was injured March 1, and says he tripped on a hazard in the tunnel that had not been marked.

Speaking anonymously to CTV, the worker claims an ambulance was called but that it left before treating him or taking him to hospital, instead responding to another call.

The worker also alleges the tunnel is an unsafe workplace.

In a memo to city council, the city’s general manager of transportation says two calls were received by paramedics. John Manconi says one call requested an ambulance for the injured worker, and the second call was to cancel the ambulance. Both calls were made by the same person, Manconi says.

A co-worker drove the injured man to hospital.

As for claims about safety, Manconi points to the tunnel’s Lost Time Injury rate of 0.32; he says the average is 1.0 for similar projects in Ontario.

Earlier this week, Ottawa and District Labour Council President Sean McKenney raised concerns about worker safety in the LRT tunnel. Manconi says he will have a meeting with McKenney and tunnel construction officials this week to discuss concerns and improve communication.