NEWMARKET - An unidentified man was seriously injured Thursday morning when he fell about 15 feet from a pier into shallow water.

The man was helping install docks for a small marina at 125 Main St. when the accident occurred, Newmarket Fire Chief Rick Malasky said.

Malasky said a company is using a crane to install the docks, and one of the workers slipped from above the docks and fell into the shallow water onto some pilings.

Malasky said it was about a 15-foot drop since at the time it was nearing low tide.

Fire and rescue crews received the call around 11:55 p.m.

Malasky said the man was transported to Exeter Hospital, but he did not know the extent of his injuries or his identity. He said he did not have the name of the company the man was working for either.

He said the man was in and out of consciousness when crews arrived, and there were signs of trauma.

He said the man appeared to be in his 50s.

Durham Fire sent an engine company to assist with getting the man out of the water.

“It is quite a drop-off there. They did have the ramp in, so we were able to utilize the ramp, but we did need to throw some ladders and get some people out there to get him out of the water, onto a backboard, into a Stokes basket and into the ambulance,” Malasky said.

He said the man was wearing a life jacket.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has been contacted and will be investigating, Malasky said.