Construction Accidents
Worker Falls to Death at NYC Hudson Yards Tunnel Project
The fatality occurred at the Gateway Tunnel site in New York City
A construction worker died after falling 60 ft through an opening on the site of a Hudson Yards Amtrak tunnel project in New York City.
A construction worker at the massive Hudson Yards Amtrak tunnel project in Manhattan died on Oct. 23 after falling into an excavated pit.
The worker, an employee of New York Concrete Corp. of Staten Island, reportedly was at ground level at the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing 3 (HYCC-3) site when he fell 60 ft to the bottom through an opening just before 9 a.m. According to the Fire Dept. of New York’s social media posts, first responders performed a high-angle rescue using a stretcher basket and a “construction apparatus” to extract the worker, who has not been publicly identified. Local media reports say he was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, but was later pronounced dead.
In a joint statement, the Gateway Development Commission, Amtrak, and developer Related Companies extended condolences to the worker’s family and stated that all work at the site is suspended while the incident is under investigation.
New York Concrete Corp. President Donnamarie Russo, whose firm is working on the project in a joint venture with JPL Industries, said in a statement that the JV "is deeply saddened to confirm that a tragic incident occurred today at our project site resulting in the loss of a worker’s life. Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, friends, and coworkers during this difficult time."
A Similar Incident
The fatality follows a similar, non-fatal incident this past summer at the HYCC-3 site, which is part of the $16-billion effort to build a new Hudson River Tunnel to New York’s Penn Station.
On June 17, a construction worker working in a 30-ft-deep, partially flooded excavation pit was reportedly struck in the head by a piece of construction machinery. No further information about the extent of the worker’s injuries or investigation status have been released.
The $292-million HYCC-3 project extends the existing concrete casing on a diagonal alignment from 11th Avenue to 30th Street, where it will link up with the new tunnel, according to the Gateway project page. The approximately 500 ft-long, 60-ft-wide structure will consist of heavily reinforced concrete ranging from 3.5-ft to 10-ft thick to support future loading from the overbuild platform. A waterproofing membrane will cover the casing’s perimeter. HYCC-3 is being.
Though the three-year project is scheduled for completion in 2026, the future of the HYCC-3 and the overall Gateway program are in doubt following the Trump Administration’s decision withhold project reimbursements as it conducts a review over disadvantaged business enterprise practices. The $7.7-billion second phase of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Second Avenue Subway is also affected by the funding pause.
