Construction Fatalities
More Details Emerge in Fatal Charlotte, NC, Scaffold Collapse
The mast climber scaffold collapse that killed three workers occurred at the construction site of a 16-story residential building.
Photo courtesy Charlotte Fire Dept. via Twitter
Details have emerged in the Jan. 2 scaffold collapse at an under-construction apartment high-rise in Charlotte, N.C. that killed three workers and injured two. A work suspension continues during an investigation led by the North Carolina Dept. of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Division.
An agency spokesperson said compliance staff were sent to the scene after it was notified of the incident by the Charlotte Fire Dept. at around 9:30 a.m. on Jan 2, about 30 minutes after the incident. No additional information was provided.
Charlotte Fire Dept. Capt. Jackie Gilmore said the workers apparently fell 70 ft during the collapse. All three fatalities occurred at the scene, Gilmore said. The survivors were transported to a hospital with minor injuries. Identities of the dead and injured have not been disclosed.
According to local radio station WFAE, the collapse occurred on the interior side of the 16-story building, named Hanover East Morehead and developed by Hanover Co., Houston. Hanover did not respond to a request for comment.
City building permit applications indicate the contractor is Hanover R.S. East Construction LLC, the developer's construction arm. Foundation work on the 350-unit building, which includes parking on the lower levels, began in mid-2021.
This article was updated on Jan. 3
