Safety
UPDATE: Three Killed in Fall Accident on Bechtel Port Arthur LNG Project
A rendering of the Port Arthur LNG facility project's first and second phases.
Rendering courtesy Bechtel Energy
After suspending all work on its $13-billion Port Arthur, Texas LNG export terminal project following the deaths of three workers in an April 29 fall accident, the contractor has partially restarted construction, a spokesman told ENR on May 6.
"A limited restart of certain activities has occurred," said company spokesman Luke Miller. "We are taking a careful, phased approach in coordination with OSHA and our customer."
He refers to a probe launched by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the accident in which three site workers fell an estimated 65 to 85 ft in “a tank jump-form system incident” after a layer of scaffolding connected to a concrete tank failed at the project being built for San Diego-based Sempra Infrastructure, which awarded Bechtel the EPC contract.
The victims are identified as Felix Jose Lopez, 42; Felipe Mendez, 25; and Reginald Magee, 41. Lopez and Mendez were pronounced dead at the scene. Magee was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.
Two other injured workers involved in the accident were treated and are expected to make a full recovery, authorities said. “Not all employees landed on the ground. Two of them were able to stay up, but all sustained injuries,” said Capt. Crystal Holmes of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, which also is investigating the accident.
In a statement sent to ENR, Bechtel said all work on the site was stopped immediately following the incident. “We have sent all craft professionals home early to be with their families during this difficult time. We are cooperating fully with local authorities as investigations continue and have launched our own internal review,” the company said.
"No words are adequate to express how deeply the loss of three of our colleagues is felt," said Bechtel Chairman and CEO Brendan Bechtel and COO Craig Albert in a note to all employees about the accident.
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The firm said it is cooperating with probes and also paused similar tank work at two other projects, but it did not identify their names or locations. It is not clear if construction at those sites has restarted.
The Port Arthur project, which will have first phase gas export capacity of 13 million tons per year by its original completion dates of 2027 and 2028 for its two liquefaction trains, also includes LNG storage tanks and marine facilities.
Neither Bechtel or Sempra has said how the accident could affect project completion. They also did not did not confirm media reports of three wrongful death lawsuits and a negligence action against the firms seeking at least $1 million, that are based on statements from attorneys for one injured worker and victims' families.
In a statement, Sempra said, "Our condolences go out to the families of those who lost their lives as well as those who are injured."
Bechtel ranks No. 14 on ENR’s 2025 Top 500 Design Firms list.
