News / Law
One man dies in construction accident at Columbia University extension
West Harlem, NY- One man was killed and two others injured when a building, part of the Columbia University expansion, collapsed on them.
According to the New York Daily Observer, the men were cutting a structural beam on the building’s perimeter wall when concrete, bricks and steel began to fall on them.
The three men became partially buried underneath the rubble. Two of the men, including the one who died, were trapped in the center of the building. Another man was trapped about 50 feet away from the others. Rescue workers had to make a tunnel in the rubble to reach him, which took approximately 45 minutes. The trapped man sustained head injuries.
The Department of Buildings cited this worksite for two violations on March 5th, for “failure to notify (the) department of demolition work,” and “failure to safeguard persons/property affected by construction operations.”
A thorough investigation into this accident has been launched but the DOB would not even speculate on a cause.
There is always the possibility of injury for people working in construction, but if they are involved in an accident because of improper safety an accident attorney can seek compensation for their injuries. In order to have a strong case, the injured should contact an accident lawyer as soon as they are able to.
An accident lawyer is capable of winning favorable settlements for injuries victims involved in all types of accidents whether they are traffic or work-related.
