The BBC news website is reporting that a contractor for Crossrail in London has died in a shaft near Tottenham Court Road. The contractor is the first death at work to be reported in the £14.8bn rail scheme.
The contractor sustained serious head injuries in the 10m tunnel in Holborn, London. Firefighters tried to rescue the 43-year old contractor, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
According the BBC news website, the Health and Safety Executive has been informed. This is the first fatal accident to take place on the Crossrail site.
A Crossrail spokesman said:
“Sadly, at approximately 5am this morning a contractor working at our site in Fisher Street, London was fatally injured.
“Our first and foremost thoughts are with the family and friends affected by this. The next of kin are being informed.
“We are establishing the facts and a full investigation into the incident has commenced.”
Taking about the accident on the Huffington Post, Unite Regional Officer Guy Langston said:
“Crossrail’s contractor BFK has some serious questions to answer. Unite is particularly concerned about health and safety at the site because this is not the first serious incident. In December 2012, a worker sustained horrific burns when he cut through a cable.
“We now expect BFK to meet with Unite as a matter of urgency. The contractor must explain how it intends to do everything in its power to ensure that a tragic incident like this does not happen again.”