Cuban worker dies as wall collapses at construction site

A 28-year-old Cuban national, identified as Dayrovis Martinez Mendoza of Foulis, East Coast Demerara, lost his life earlier today (Monday) after a fence wall collapsed at a construction site at Bachelor’s Adventure Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara.

The incident occurred at about 11:30 hrs while Mendoza and several other Spanish-speaking labourers were working on the site. Eyewitnesses reported that the eastern fence wall, measuring about 15 feet high and 120 feet long, suddenly gave way, pinning Mendoza beneath the rubble. Police and Fire Service ranks later broke through the debris to retrieve his body. A search confirmed no one else was trapped.

Investigations revealed that the property is leased to 49-year-old Chinese businessman Xie Guohui, who had begun construction of a supermarket and residential quarters about two months ago. Guohui, who was absent from the site at the time, said he had hired six Spanish-speaking workers but had not recorded their names.

Following the tragedy, Labour Minister Keoma Griffith, Assistant Chief Occupational Health and Safety Officer Roydon Croal, and a team from the Ministry of Labour visited the scene and conducted an inspection.

The body was later removed by undertakers from Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where it awaits a post-mortem examination.