A Jersey City, New Jersey police officer was hospitalized at Jersey City Medical Center after being struck by a piece of falling concrete. As reported by NJ.com, the accident happened near Greene Street in Jersey City, New Jersey early in October of 2015.
The officer was patrolling the site of the new Trump Bay Street Tower when a cinder block fell from the 31st floor and struck him in the torso. Investigators believe workers were cutting concrete blocks and stacking them when one block accidentally fell to the street below. The area was locked down while the Office of Emergency Management and the New Jersey Transit police investigated the incident.
The victim is a 16-year veteran of the NJ police force. He was released from the hospital that same day.
Unfortunately, the $194 million building project is not the first construction site in the area to experience issues surrounding falling construction materials, tools or debris. Last year, a contractor working at a nearby site was killed when a tape measure dropped from the 50th floor, striking him on the head. For now, the new Trump Tower remains shut down until it is brought up to meet construction codes and standards including, debris removal from the area, and appropriate netting is secured to prevent items from falling and/or striking pedestrians and vehicles below.
If you’ve been injured in a construction site accident, call Blume Forte Fried Zerres & Molinari at 973-845-4421.