Another day, another unnecessarily treacherous New York City construction site. And one more worker has perished while simply doing his job. This time it was 47-year-old Luis Almonte, who was crushed when a 20-foot retaining wall fell onto him and five of his colleagues in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, according to ABC News.The FDNY, the NYPD, Con Edison and inspectors from the Department of Buildings, as well as structural engineers and dogs, were all part of rescue efforts last week, which sadly turned into a long and difficult search for Mr. Almonte’s body. This massive investment of city resources simply augments the huge emotional toll wrought by such a tragedy — a preventable one.
Dangerous work conditions kill people
In this case, the six laborers were digging in a trench when a wall fell on them, raining down tons of brick and dirt, according to Industrial Safety & Hygiene News (ISHN.com). The job site in question was identified as 714 39th Street by ABC News. Two contractors, Ground to Sky City Builders Corp. of Yonkers and WSC Group LLC of Brooklyn, were working on the site, according to ISHN.com.
New York City Council member Carlos Menchaca didn’t mince words regarding ongoing concerns about worker safety: “This is a wake up call that we keep getting over and over and over again … these incredibly dangerous developers and construction companies are not adhering to the Department of Buildings standard on how to secure sites with retaining walls and that’s what you’re seeing here.”
How many more people will have to die before things change?
What you can do if your family is affected
A construction accident, fatal or not, can change your life and cause great harm to your family. If you or someone you love was injured on a New York City construction site, it is important to get the legal advice you need as soon as possible. Talk to an attorney with extensive experience in this specific area about whether you may have a third-party injury or wrongful death claim.
