A construction worker was killed and several more were injured after the unexplained collapse of a large metal structure being erected on the campus of a Texas high school. The accident happened around 7:40 a.m. on April 2 while a team of workers was building new construction on the campus of Argyle High School in Denton County.
The cause of the accident had yet to be explained at the time of the report. The metal frame, which measured 50 feet by 180 feet, had stood satisfactorily for some time. However, the building was under active construction at the time of collapse. Bystanders report that the entire structure began to move before the walls crumpled. Following this, the building fell in upon itself. Workers were inside the building at the time, and some were trapped in the debris.
The construction site was under the authority of the general contractor Northstar Builders of Coppell. The injured employees were working for a subcontractor called Warnick Metal Building Erectors, which operates out of Haltom City. Both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the local police have announced their intention to investigate the accident.
Workers’ compensation laws entitle all employees injured in a workplace accident to reasonable compensation as they heal. In the worst cases, where a worker has died, fair economic redress will be made to their bereft family. If there is ever any situation where an employer attempts to dodge their responsibility or shift the blame, an attorney may be able to help the injured or surviving to obtain just payment.
Source: CBS DFW, “Building Collapse Kills One, Injures Three Workers At N. Texas High School,” April 2, 2015