A horrifying Midtown Manhattan construction accident left one worker killed and three hospitalized. At around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2020, a piece of parapet at 136 East 36th, a 12-story co-op building, came crashing down from the roof onto a suspended rig that held two construction workers. The rig in turn slammed into the scaffolding below. A resident who was interviewed said “it sounded like a loud explosion.”
At the time of the incident, the workers were performing façade restoration. Tragically, a 59-year-old worker, Mario Salas, was killed in the debris. Three other workers are being treated at Bellevue Hospital. Of the hospitalized workers, two sustained serious injuries.
The incident is still under investigation. According to the New York Daily News, City Department inspectors were at the scene that night looking into the cause of the collapse. Investigators are still trying to determine whether the worker that was killed was in the suspended rig or on the ground.
Our hearts go out to the loved ones of the deceased worker. We also sincerely hope the workers who are being treated at the hospital are able to recover fully from their injuries.
This was unfortunately not the first partial building collapse incident this month. Earlier that day, a wall collapse occurred at another construction site at 211 East 34th Street. On Wednesday, July 1, 2020, 52-year-old Jacinto Salazar was harmed in a partial building collapse in Carroll Gardens. In another separate incident on July 8, a man was injured when bricks came tumbling down from the façade of a five-story building at 205 East 38th Street, also in Murray Hill.
These incidents offer a glimpse of how dangerous the construction industry truly is. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1,038 construction workers were killed on the job in 2018 in the private sector alone. In New York City, construction deaths make up 30% of all work-related deaths in 2018, according to the latest Deadly Skyline report. As construction workers build and repair the structures in our cities, towns, and homes, they may very well be putting their lives at risk – lives that are interwoven within the fabric of many other ones – spouses, children, parents, and more. The loss of a life is a heartbreak that can never be repaired.
Our lawyers have seen firsthand how an accident can devastate the lives of our clients and their loved ones. We’ve worked with workers whose lives have been upended because of a serious accident and we’ve also represented loved ones in wrongful death cases.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a construction accident, please feel free to call 212-736-5300 or fill out our Contact Form to speak with one of our experienced attorneys about your legal rights. Our lawyers have dedicated their professional lives fighting for the rights of injured workers. Many serve on the Labor Law Committee of New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA) – a group that fights for laws promoting worker safety. Partner Daniel O’Toole is the Co-Chairman of the committee.
Our lawyers are also hard at work litigating significant personal injury cases for clients. Our results include a $110 million verdict in a Brooklyn construction accident case, a $15 million settlement for the family of a worker killed in a construction accident, and a $12 million case for a worker harmed at a construction site in Manhattan.
To speak with an attorney, please call 212-736-5300.