One construction worker dies, another is seriously injured after falling from scaffolding on Chicago’s south side

CHICAGO (CBS) – A construction worker was killed and another was seriously injured when he fell nine stories from a scaffold in Hyde Park on Thursday.

The accident occurred around noon at a construction site on the campus of the University of Chicago Medical Center at the corner of East 57th Street and South Drexel Avenue. The workers were steelworkers employed by New Horizon Steel.

According to the Chicago Fire Department, the workers fell from the scaffolding of a concrete structure on the upper floors after it was dislodged by the wind. A fire department spokesman said wind may have played a role in the accident. The nearest weather station at Midway Airport reported wind gusts of about 33 miles per hour at the time of the fall.

One of the workers died at the scene of the accident.

The second worker was taken to the nearby University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition.

The ages of the victims were not immediately known, but CBS 2 learned that the deceased worker was in his twenties.

The fire department spokesman said the men were not wearing seat belts or restraints in any way. They were simply wearing yellow fluorescent vests.

One person filmed the moment construction workers outside the construction site looked up at the building shortly after their coworkers fell. Several workers told CBS 2 behind the scenes that they were deeply saddened and traumatized by the incident.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it would investigate the accident. OSHA only initiated an inspection at the employer of the two workers, New Horizon Steel.

OSHA has no business relationship with Turner Construction, the general contractor for the Illinois project.

Turner Construction said in a statement: “This is an extremely sad day. Our hearts are broken and our thoughts and prayers are with family, friends and colleagues during this extremely difficult time. The safety and wellbeing of everyone on our construction sites is very important to us. We are working hard to prevent such days from happening and have suspended all construction activities. Bereavement counselling services are available to all workers on site to support them through the difficult days and weeks ahead.”

Last December, two more construction workers Employees of the Turner Construction Company were also injured while working at the center when a piece of equipment fell on the construction site. Information about the accident was not released at the time.

The new seven-story, 53,500 square meter pavilion for cancer treatment and research is being built on 57th Street between Maryland and Drexel Avenues on the campus of the University of Chicago Medical Center. In December, the project was awarded a $20 million grant.

The facility is scheduled to open in 2027. Once completed, the $815 million center will have 80 private beds, 90 exam rooms, a breast cancer center and dedicated clinical trial space. It will have capacity for up to 200,000 outpatient visits and 5,000 inpatient admissions per year.