Collapse of construction site in Borough Park, Brooklyn
At the beginning of February, a Brooklyn NY construction site accident needlessly took the life of a worker. This occurred at a two-story building located on 1266 50th Street. The work being done at the site was illegal. According to officials, the site had a stop work order in effect that was violated. In addition, contractors had not submitted a plan. As a result, a 33-year old construction worker lost his life.
NY construction site accident details
ABC Channel 7 reported that the stop work order existed because the site wasn’t safe. The only work allowed was to make the site safe, not to continue with site construction. The Department of Buildings received no submission of plans. Yet, a bobcat was inside the structure. The first floor collapsed into the basement, forming a V-shape. First responders came to the scene but were unable to rescue the victim, who was buried under a mound of dirt. As a result, they pronounced him dead at the scene.
What were the legal consequences due to the illegal work?
The Department of Buildings Commissioner said the situation could result in hundreds of thousands of dollars of fines.
What rights do construction workers have under the New York law?
Based on New York Labor Law 241, workers receive strict liability protection. The code establishes who is at fault. When safety code violations result in injury at a work site, the contractor or other third party or building owner are accountable. In this Brooklyn construction site accident situation, a stop work order violation was a safety code violation. The family members of the deceased worker would have the right to take legal action against the responsible parties and recover damages.
Have you been involved in a construction accident or lost a loved one who worked in construction?
Find out how we can help. To arrange a free consultation, contact the Law Office of John Fazzini. Call us at (631) 547-8989 or reach out to us through our contact form.