Philadelphia man dies in Sea Isle City balcony collapse
SEA ISLE CITY, Pa. (CBS) – The worker who died in a construction accident at the Jersey Shore has now been identified as safety inspections continue at the building where it happened.
Crews continue clean-up efforts amid wintery conditions following the deadly collapse of a balcony at a condo complex in Sea Isle City.
"We heard sirens off and on," Steven Patton, a Sea Isle City resident, said. "I knew it was something big. I could tell they were coming from out of the city. A lot of police activity going on."
Police confirmed that 43-year-old Jose Pereira of Philadelphia died after he was pinned under a 30-foot-long concrete balcony.
It had fallen from the 8th floor onto a 7th-floor balcony at the south tower of the Spinnaker Condominium Complex.
He was working as a construction worker for Ferguson Contracting, a company from Yardley, Pennsylvania.
"It's a tragedy," Patton said. "It's a shame. I just hope we learn from this."
Several departments responded to the scene on Friday afternoon.
First responders tried to reach the victim, but could not immediately get to him because the structure was not safe.
They needed additional assistance to cut through about 12 inches of concrete.
Officials say they were able to get to the victim, but he died on the scene just before 10.
"The construction business can be dangerous," David Allison, a Sea Isle City resident, said. "And things like that happen."
Police say all of the decks in the building where the collapse happen are being stabilized.
Saturday night, crews can still be seen putting up reinforcements.
"It's shocking for a place like this," Joe Raysinger, a Sea Isle City resident, said. "So, we'll see how they're going to handle it."
"I'm hoping they're checking their balconies. We have a lot of summer population here. A lot of them go on the balconies so I hope they check them for support," Patton said.
Two other workers had suffered minor injuries.
In a notice to residents, the building owner says the south tower has been vacated until city officials determine it is safe.
In addition, private engineers will evaluate the south tower and north tower of the Spinnaker Complex for safety.
