September 20, 2012 – Brooklyn, New York– NY 1 reported that a building collapse in Brooklyn, at 227 Carlton Avenue in Fort Greene, killed a construction worker and injured another on Monday, September 10. The collapse may have been the result of too much weight lowered onto the floor around the workers.
One of the uninjured workers said he was aware the top floor couldn’t handle anymore weight. The truck’s operator and foremen couldn’t hear the supervisor trying to stop the delivery of additional cement blocks, according to the worker.
Two construction workers fell into the basement from the fourth floor, trapped. A 67-year-old worker died. The other worker was transported to a hospital and was said to be in critical condition. “Very sad. Not only thinking about it but to see something in your vision. It is very troublesome,” said Ignatius Ragis, a construction worker at the site.
Another report from the New York Daily News indicated that the contractor of this building project may have been overseeing too many construction sites. It was believed that 13 other sites were under his supervision at the same time, which is more than what is typically allowed by the city.
An employee has the right to expect a certain standard of safety at their work site, be it at a desk job or laboring at construction. When employees are injured or killed while performing their job duties as instructed, usually someone else can be held liable for creating an unsafe work environment, either through action or through their inaction.
In a case like this, there is the potential for more than one party to be held liable. If you or a loved one suffered serious or fatal injuries in a work accident, compensation may be available. Contact a Brooklyn work injury attorney from Gacovino, Lake & Associates at 800-246-HURT (4878).
