BAL HARBOUR, Fla. — Authorities are investigating a fatal industrial accident in Bal Harbour after a construction worker died Thursday following a rescue from a confined space at a jobsite behind the Bal Harbour Shops.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews responded to the site at 98th Street and Collins Avenue after receiving a trauma alert. First responders located the worker trapped in a confined area and managed to pull him out. He was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, but despite emergency efforts, he was later pronounced dead.
Because the incident resulted in a fatality, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit was dispatched to the scene. Detectives are now leading the investigation into what has been described as “an industrial accident.”
Emergency dispatch audio recordings revealed conflicting early reports about the nature of the accident. One dispatcher alerted responders, saying, “Person not breathing at 98th and Collins Avenue.” Another stated, “They are advising the patient is someone who fell from the 2nd floor,” describing it as a “trauma arrest.”
At one point, responders believed the incident involved a pipe explosion, but dispatchers later clarified there had been no explosion.
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A worker at the site told CBS News Miami that the incident may have involved a pipe being tested for water pressure that burst during the process. However, authorities have not confirmed that account. A spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office stressed the official cause remains under investigation and reiterated that the situation is being treated strictly as an industrial accident at this stage.
The worker’s identity has not yet been released, pending notification of family.
A law enforcement source indicated that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is expected to join the investigation. An OSHA spokesperson confirmed the agency is aware of the incident and is reviewing details.
Attempts to contact representatives from the Bal Harbour Shops for comment were unsuccessful.
The incident underscores the dangers of confined space and pressure-related work on construction sites, where workers face elevated risks of injury or death if safety protocols are not strictly followed.
Originally reported by Peter D 'Oench in CBS News.
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