A construction worker was killed in a grim accident Wednesday in
Hermosa Beach after he fell head first into an excavated hole that
collapsed around him, police and fire officials said.
State investigators found that the contractor did not have a
permit to excavate the site, located at Sixth and Cypress
streets.
The worker, who has not been identified, was standing on a
plywood platform placed on the fork of a Bobcat Caterpillar raised
about 6 feet above the ground, and about 15 feet above the bottom
of the hole, said Cal/OSHA spokeswoman Krisann Chasarik.
He was using a hand-held compactor that works like a jackhammer
to push down a steel pile for a retaining wall, investigators said.
The vibration from the tool caused him to fall head first into the
narrow hole, Chasarik said.
A substantial amount of soil that had been piled above the open
trench then collapsed on top of him, said Capt. Mike Garofano of
the Hermosa Beach Fire Department. Only a portion of the man's leg
and foot were exposed, said Hermosa Beach Police Detective Mick
Gaglia.
It was not clear what caused the soil above to fall, but
investigators noted that it was very unstable, Chasarik said.
Dozens of emergency workers were on the scene for most of the
day Wednesday attempting to dig the victim out. The Los Angeles
County Fire Department's specialized Urban Search and Rescue unit
was called for assistance due to the danger of the unstable
earth.
Police placed tarp around the site as three cranes worked for
most of the afternoon to retrieve the man's body. The accident was
reported at 10:30 a.m., and the worker's body was pulled from the
trench at about 3:25 p.m., when he was pronounced dead.
Witnesses said about a half-dozen construction workers were at
the site at the time of the accident. No other injuries were
reported.
The project - an 8,289-square-foot parking garage and office
complex - is situated in a largely residential area less than a
mile from the beach near South Park. The three-level building will
include two stories for offices and a garage below.
Workers from the city of Hermosa Beach maintenance yard, located
a block away on Sixth Street, ran to the scene when they heard
workers yell for help.
"They tried to dig around him, but it was very dangerous," said
one worker, who didn't want to be identified. "The ground was still
moving."
A cause of death has not been determined, but it is likely the
man asphyxiated due to the amount of soil that fell on top of him,
officials said. The Los Angeles County coroner is
investigating.
The property is owned by David B. Shaw, a Palos Verdes Estates
resident who runs a contracting company called David Shaw Concrete
and Block. Shaw, also listed as the contractor, did not return a
phone call seeking comment.
The project, approved by the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission
in 2006, has been in the works for several years, city records
show.
Shaw planned to occupy 1,825 feet of the building for storage,
and lease the rest for artist or architectural studios,
manufacturing and warehousing, according to his building permit
application.
Cal/OSHA immediately issued a stop work order. Chasarik said
work will not be allowed to resume until the problems with the site
are fixed.
The state will likely issue a full report - and possibly
citations - in a few months, she said.
Throughout the day Wednesday, dozens of nearby residents
gathered near the site to watch the activity.
"The city workers were pretty shook up," said Derek Nalbandian,
who lives a block away and said he heard commotion and went to the
scene. "I can't imagine seeing something like that."