Life threatening construction accident

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A construction worker is clinging to life after falling in Brooklyn, New York. According to a report filed by the New York Daily News, the worker fell into a basement shaft and suffered significant head injuries. The report said the that worker fell head-first while working on a stairwell during the construction of a home located at 19 Richardson Street in Brooklyn. The incident happened around 9:30 a.m. Friday morning. The New York Daily News said that officials from the City of New York hurriedly closed down the construction project while their investigation continues into this tragic workplace accident.

The investigation is ongoing into the accident, and all of the details of the accident were not made public. What is known is that the worker was working on or near an unfinished stairwell and elevator shaft on the proposed three-family dwelling. The preliminary report suggests that the construction worker was using a pry bar to remove a wooden plank from some masonry when he plummeted to the concrete floor below. ABC 7 New York reported that the worker who fell was a male who was not wearing a safety harass at the time of the fall.  Additionally, there were no handrails in the area onto which a worker could hold.

The initial report released by the New York Daily News indicates that the construction worker is in serious condition at Bellevue Hospital. Officials say his current condition is stable. There is no information available about the man’s prognosis.

The New York City Department of Buildings raced to the scene and issued a full stop order while the investigation continues. The Department of Buildings previous issued a partial stop order due to insulation installed at the site that violated the City’s building code. That order did not relate to any safety violations. Investigators from the City made a spot check of the construction site in April and found no safety violations.