02/24/2011 // New York City, New York, USA // New York City Accident Lawyer // Jonathan C. Reiter
New York, NY – (New York City Injury Lawyer News) On Tuesday, February 8, 2011, two construction workers fell 65 feet to their death while working in a building on the Upper West Side, according to police statements reported by The Wall Street Journal. The two men were welding steel beams inside an elevator shaft in the interior of the building before the accident, according to reports. Emergency responders were called to 150 W. 83rd Street at approximately 10:30 a.m.
The two victims of the fatal construction accident, aged 49 and 51, were not wearing safety harnesses at the time of the fall. The 49-year-old man was transported to Roosevelt Hospital upon EMT arrival and the 51-year-old man was taken to St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center. Both men were pronounced dead upon arriving at the hospitals.
Department of Buildings officials halted work on the site after the fatal construction accident, citing a pending investigation into safety measures required on the job.
The commissioner of the city’s Department of Buildings, Robert LiMandri, reported, “This accident serves as a reminder to everyone who goes on the construction site every day that experience alone is not enough and they must take precautions and they must be safe.”
The building on W. 83rd Street is owned by the Redeemer Presbyterian Church. The Department of Buildings records indicate the church bought the building for $21.5 million in 2008.
Before the construction accident on Tuesday, the Department of Buildings registered 15 complaints against the construction site since work began in the fall of 2009. Issues included debris on the site and sidewalk shed and fence regulations. There were also four zoning violations and construction code issues during the time of construction, including an $8,000 fine for failing to provide daily scaffolding reports.
LiMandri reported after the accident, “None of the violations that were written pertain to this type of incident,” and explained that, “At the moment, it does not appear that the accident that occurred today has any bearing on those (past) complaints.”
The contracted company that was working on the church is F.J. Sciame Construction Company. Sciame officials reported the two workers were employed by Weir Welding and Cross Country Erectors.
*Leading New York City injury attorney Jonathan C. Reiter states if you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a construction accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and damages. Located in the Empire State Building, with more than thirty years of experience litigating the multifaceted claims of construction accident victims and their families, contacting NYC construction accident lawyer Jonathan Reiter with regard to your particular personal injury or wrongful death case may help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
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