Deadly Building Collapse In The Bronx Was 'Preventable,' Officials Say

The building collapse in the Bronx that killed one worker and injured several others on Tuesday was caused by heavy construction materials that were overloaded near the top of the structure, according to city officials.

The new four-story residential unit at 94 East 208th Street caved in at around noon on Tuesday, crushing 48-year-old laborer Segunda Huerta. The NY Times reports that Huerta was working on the site alongside half a dozen other family members, all Ecuadorean immigrants.

Two other workers were hospitalized with serious injuries, and three others suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

The Department of Buildings blamed the collapse on overloaded concrete masonry blocks on the third floor of the structure, which caused it to collapse onto the second story where Huerta was working. Firefighters spent close to an hour trying to free him from the rubble, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

“This was a preventable tragedy and our hearts go out to the family of the worker who died," the agency said in a statement. "No building is ever worth a person’s life. We will continue to investigate this incident aggressively and bring all appropriate enforcement actions against those responsible.”

Officials noted that no violations had previously been issued at the construction site. Inspectors did visit the location this past June in response to a neighbor's complaint about scaffolding, but did not find any infractions, according to the Times. A stop-work order has been issued at the property.

Family members of Huerta, many of whom gathered in front of the property following the collapse, told the paper that they were heartbroken by the loss. “Él era bueno,” said the victim's brother, José. “He was good.”

Construction deaths are on the rise in New York City, and injuries have reportedly spiked by 221 percent in the last five years. The risks are especially high for immigrant and non-union workers. A report from the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health found that 92 percent of the construction workers killed on private work sites in in the city were non-union.

The contractor for the project is Pioneer General Construction, and the owner is listed as Atin Batra. Neither could be reached for comment.