OSHA investigating recent construction accidents
A spokesperson for the Denver office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has confirmed the agency is looking into the circumstances which led to two separate construction site accidents in the Denver metro area last week. One of the accidents killed a worker.
Chauntra Rideaux, a regional OSHA representative, stated the U.S. Department of Labor agency is investigating the April 13 fatal fall in downtown Denver and the April 17 collapse of a warehouse-sized building in Commerce City.
In the first incident, a 25-year-old worker, Juan Blanco-Parra, died after falling from the upper stories of a building under construction at 2520 Wewatta Way in Denver. The Denver Police Department is investigating Blanco-Parra's death as well, per protocol, the department confirmed last week. No information about detectives' preliminary findings have been released by DPD, including which floor Blanco-Parra fell from and what contributed to the fall.
Witnesses gave CBS4 crew various estimates, describing that Blanco-Parra fell between 10 and 12 stories. Signs at the scene advertised CFC Construction as the company in charge of the project.
Blanco-Parra died from multiple blunt force injuries, per the Denver Medical Examiner's Office. His body was turned over to a funeral home in Pueblo, according to an online obituary.
Three workers were injured in the collapse of metal framing at the Commerce City accident. There have been no updates from authorities on the workers' medical conditions since they were placed in ambulances and taken to hospitals.
The incident appears to have occurred on the property of Instel Steel at 8573 Ulster Street. The steel products manufacturer is headquartered in Houston.
OSHA's Rideaux said the agency would release information about the findings of its investigations once those investigations are complete. No timeline was provided.
