04.04.2006

Mast Climber kills three

A mast climber crashed 13 stories into a busy Boston street on Monday, killing three people, injuring two and crushing a number of cars stopped in the midday traffic.
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The mast and platform wreckage

The platform was set up on a new building adjoining a 14-story dormitory being built by Emerson College. The platform had been used to install the stone facade and was being dismantled when the accident occurred.

It seems that the mast and platforms fell backwards, away from the building that it had been anchored to, into the street.

Robert Beane, a veteran construction worker, Romildo Silva, 27 a scaffolder and Michael Tsan Ty, 28 a doctor who simply happened to be passing, all died in the accident while two other people were injured.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration has apparently cited the general contractor, Macomber Builders, more than 10 times since 2004. Including more than five citations for "serious" scaffolding or fall-protection violations.