Construction Accident: Young Seattle couple and their infant killed in tragic overpass collapse
A couple in their 20s and their 8-month-old son were killed while driving on Angeline Road, beneath the overpass of State Route 410 when a sudden collapse occurred in Seattle on Monday. Investigators and building collapse attorneys believe Josh and Vanessa Ellis and their infant son Hudson were killed instantly by the falling debris.
Was Debris The Cause Of The Collapse?
The incident occurred when a massive slab of concrete from the overhead roadway toppled down and smashed into their pickup truck. The intersection is in a suburb of Seattle called Bonney Lake.
The slab weighed thousands of pounds and dropped falling debris from the underside of the overpass as the family drove beneath it, landing directly on the cab of the truck.
The cause of the collapse while yet unknown, is suspected to have occurred as a result of negligent construction. The issue is whether the slab fell as a result of negligence in the original construction of the overpass or was it the result of carelessness in ongoing construction at the site. What is known is that the material that fell was part of the original structure, which was constructed in 1992.
However, work is currently being done at the site, as crews work toward a $1.8 million sidewalk installation to improve pedestrian access along the highway. The project also includes adding a sewer line and widening the highway between the bridge and 192nd avenue to allow for future streetlight installation.
Who Is Responsible For The Collapse?
Investigations are underway by the Washington State Department of Transportation, the Bonney Lake Police, and from contractor, WHH Nisqually Federal Services.
WHH Nisqually has refused to speculate on the cause of the construction accident until the investigation is complete. They issued a statement sending their “sincerest condolences to the relatives and friends of the young family that died in the tragic accident on Highway 410 in Bonney Lake yesterday. Words do not adequately express our grief, sorrow, and sympathy.”
A nearby resident described both hearing and feeling the crash inside her home. “I thought a semi had come down the guard rail here in front,” she said. “It was a metal sound and a very heavy sound… it was through your feet – like a guttural. It shook the whole house.”
Responding Officer Todd Green of the Bonney Lake Police department told CNN that, “the damage was so severe it was impossible to tell how many victims were in the vehicle. The only thing we had was we could tell there was [at least] one victim.” For the majority of the clearing, crews were under the belief that only one victim was present in the rubble. The process of clearing the fallen debris from the overpass collapse took approximately nine hours.
It is not yet known what caused the overpass collapse
The Law Offices of Michael S. Lamonsoff are intimately familiar with the hazards of the construction industry. Accidents on construction sites happen daily around the country, resulting in injury or death for both construction workers and civilian victims.
With over 20 years of experience representing victims and their families, our construction accident attorneys are ready to assist you or a loved one if you’ve been injured on a construction site. You probably have questions about your rights and your future after your injury or your bereavement of a victim who was killed.
Call us at (212) 962-1020 for a completely free and personal consultation about your case and the options that may be available to you. You may be entitled to compensation and reimbursement for your suffering.