A Manhattan worker was killed in a construction accident yesterday after falling up to 125 feet from an Upper West Side church ceiling.
The 33-year-old laborer was apparently attaching a safety net to a sub-ceiling inside the Church of St. Paul the Apostle on W. 60th Street, off Columbus Circle.
The on-the-job accident took place at about 9:30 a.m., according to media reports.
The New York Police Department, the City Buildings Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration all have investigators looking into the causes of the fatal incident.
The accident victim, who lived in Brooklyn, was reportedly working with an assistant on the sub-ceiling.
One media source reports that the man was soon to be a father. His 29-year-old wife – now his widow – is apparently seven months pregnant.
Law enforcement authorities said the man might have fallen from a ladder when he received an electrical shock, though they weren’t entirely clear on the sequence of events or the exact cause of the fatal fall.
The victim landed in the main aisle of the church.
A number of important questions will have to be answered during the various investigations into this tragedy, including whether the laborer was properly trained to work at that height and was properly outfitted with safety gear.
The accident leaves behind a young family that will undoubtedly miss him tremendously and suffer financially without his income and job benefits. In cases such as this, it’s wise for survivors to talk the situation over with a compassionate attorney experienced in protecting the rights and interests of grieving family members.
Source: NY1.com: “Construction Worker Falls To Death At Manhattan Church,” Oct. 13, 2011