Medical examiner releases autopsy report for construction worker who died after scissor lift fell from building
by Dallas Franklin, Updated at 10:47am, October 13, 2016
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Office released the autopsy report for the construction worker who died after a scissor lift he was operating fell from a building in downtown Oklahoma City.
Last month Alex Baiza, 33, was working on the eighth floor of a building near Sheridan and Hudson that is under construction.
Construction worker dies after scissor lift falls from building
Witnesses say Baiza was working on the scissor lift and had just brought down some framework and put it to the side.
When Baiza returned to the scissor lift to retrieve more framework, the scissor lift started moving forward.
Witnesses told police that Baiza must have thought he changed the scissor lift mode from “forwards and back” to “up and down.”
However, the scissor lift was left in the “forward and back” mode, causing the lift to go forward.
The front of the lift drove off the side of the building and began to fall over the side.
Witnesses say Baiza tried to grab onto some wiring to keep himself from falling with the lift; however, since Baiza was tied to the lift, he was unable to stop himself from being pulled down with it.
Workers told police they rushed to help Baiza as they watched the accident unfold, but they were unable to save him.
Baiza was pronounced dead at the scene.
The medical examiner’s report released on Thursday states Baiza died of multiple blunt force injuries due to the fall.
No drugs were detected in his system, the report shows.
His manner of death was ruled an accident.
Fatal construction accident