Scaffolding Collapses 40-Feet Up Killing 1, Injuring 2
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
HALLANDALE BEACH (CBSMiami) – One man is dead and two others injured after scaffolding collapsed 40-feet above the ground in Hollywood.
Around 1:30 p.m., the scaffolding collapsed along the side of the Hyde Resort and Residences that is under construction at Hallandale Beach Boulevard and South Ocean Drive. Three men were painting a large-scale mural on the façade of the building at the time of the accident.
The city of Hollywood says Douglas Houkzema is the artist who conceived the mural.
Pictures on Houkzema's Facebook page show the mural from several angles.
In late September, Houkzema posted on Facebook, "So happy to take a break from this Beast."
Authorities have not released the names of the people involved in the accident, but a person who answered a number registered to Houkzema told CBS4 News he's OK.
"I heard a lot of commotion and the sounds of distress on the side of building as two guys were dangling and one already fell," said construction worker Antwan Green told CBS4's Peter D'Oench.
First responders from both Hallandale Beach and Hollywood rushed to the scene.
"Three people were injured. One person was trauma alerted to the hospital and a third person was a fatality," said Miranda Grossman with Hollywood Police.
"When we got on the scene one victim was a fatality. We were able to get two people stuck in their safety harnesses. We were able to get the second person and Hallandale Beach Fire Rescue ladder company was able to rescue a third person in the aerial truck," said Hollywood Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Jameel Ziadie.
One of the victims remains in serious condition at Memorial Regional Hospital where he and the victim who died had been transported.
Green says work was suspended for the rest of the afternoon. As they walked away, Green spoke out.
"When you saw this, what did it make you think," asked D'Oench.
"That I fully need to look for another line of work," said Green. "It's hard dealing with something like this after what I saw what transpired today. This is hard to deal with."
"Anything like this ever happen here before," asked D'Oench.
"No, I can say this has been a safe job. They go to extremes. We're safe. I am sure they are going to look at what happened," said Green.
Ziadie also says he knows of no other problems there before.
Hollywood Fire Inspectors, Hollywood Police and OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) are investigating the incident.
The general contractor on this project, John Moriarity and Associates, is the same general contractor on the deadly accident at Echo Brickell.
CBS4 News spoke to Moriarity on Monday evening.
Moriarity told CBS4 News that his company had nothing to do with this part of the project. He said a subcontractor was responsible for the painting work being done on this garage.
However, Moriarity said they are saddened by the accident and are encouraging all of the hundreds of people working here to remember that safety is the top priority.