One Worker Dies, Two Others Injured In Fort Lauderdale Beam Collapse
One worker was killed and two others were injured Monday (July 21) when a beam collapsed at a Fort Lauderdale construction site. This is where an experienced building collapse law firm can help.
The Sun Sentinel reports:
The death, which apparently occurred when the three men were knocked off a ladder, marks at least the sixth workplace fatality in Broward County in the past seven weeks.
“Construction is a very dangerous type of industry,” said Kristi Ronyak, president of a South Florida charity called Construction Angels, which provides financial aide and grief counseling to the families of workers killed on the job. “There are a lot of projects, and a lot of new hires.”
The incident happened shortly before 8 a.m. at 2601 S. Andrews Ave., south of State Road 84, where a car dealership is being built.
According to Fort Lauderdale police, a beam at the construction site collapsed and struck the three workers.
All three were taken to Broward Health Medical Center where one of the workers was pronounced dead, said Captain Frank Sousa.
The other two remain at the hospital, where one is listed in critical condition, he said.
The names of the worker who was killed and those who were hurt have not yet been released.
“I was just looking over there when it happened,” said carpenter Mark Straley, 45, of Fort Lauderdale, who was on the second story of the building under construction.
Why Did The Scaffolding Crumble?
Straley said it appeared a crane was lowering a joist when a support gave way and knocked the men off a ladder and scaffolding.
“I heard it and everybody started running toward the ladder and that’s when I took off running toward the ladder too,” he said.
Straley said he has seen similar incidents on other unrelated construction jobs he has worked.
“It’s like a domino effect,” he said. “If something falls and gives way and hits something then that can just keep going and it’s just boom boom boom boom and it’ll just keep going down.”
Straley said it looked like rescuers were performing CPR on one of the victims.
Brian Sudduth, senior vice president with the Miller Construction Company, said the company is “heavily involved” with local and federal investigators to determine what happened.
If you have any questions about a construction-related accident that happened to you or a loved one, please feel free to contact the Law Offices of Michael S. Lamonsoff, PLLC. Our attorneys are here to help you.
Contact us by e-mail or call one of our lawyers at 212-962-1020 (toll free at 877-MSL-4LAW or 877-675-4529) to schedule a free initial consultation.