DETROIT – Officials have revealed what caused two workers to fall 35 feet at a Detroit school, leaving one dead and one badly injured.
On Wednesday, May 29, 2024, a 45-year-old sheet metal worker and another employee were on the roof of Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary-Middle School on Detroit’s west side.
Officials said the two were on a fixed work platform that was three sections wide. The middle section gave way, causing both workers to fall about 35 feet, the investigation revealed.
The 45-year-old man was killed, and the second worker was taken to a nearby hospital with critical injuries, officials said.
Police said Wednesday that the workers fell at least three stories into the basement of the school.
Teachers and students didn’t witness the fall, and they were not aware of what happened until after the fact, police said.
Here is a statement from the Detroit Public Schools Community District:
Today at Bethune Elementary a contractor’s employee passed away after falling while repairing the building’s damper. Another contractor employee was also injured. The authorities are conducting an investigation into the cause of the accident. Students were isolated from the accident and were not involved. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the contractors and their employees and their families. School was dismissed early to avoid distractions to staff and students and allow authorities space and time to address the accident.
DPSCD
