Updated on August 2, 2017
By John Tunison
jtunison@mlive.com
HOLLAND, MI -- Police say a person working on Holland Civic Center renovations has died in a construction collapse involving a ceiling.
The collapse involved overhead concrete, Holland police said.
A second worker, both subcontractors on the $16 million renovation project, was seriously injured and taken to Holland Hospital.
The accident happened about 3:10 p.m Tuesday, Aug. 1 at the civic center, 150 E. Eighth Street.
Police have not released the names of the two workers.
Holland police Capt. Keith Mulder said a handful of workers were in the area of the center's east entrance when the collapse happened. He said the collapse involved a small area.
Mulder said the person who died was trapped for about 15 minutes. The other worker was not trapped.
Construction vehicles at the scene included those from GDK Construction and X-Treme Demolition.
Holland Mayor Nancy DeBoer expressed the city's condolences to the deceased worker's family.
"It's a very tragic accident and our hearts go out to the families involved," she said.
===================
One person was killed after the roof collapsed at the Holland Civic Center in Holland, Michigan.
Two people were initially trapped; one has already been freed and sustained serious injuries.
The second was freed but was pronounced dead at the scene.
Today at 3:13 pm, Holland Department of Public Safety police and fire units were dispatched to a report of a ceiling collapse at the Holland Civic Center. Upon arrival, officers and firefighters found one person trapped in the debris and a second person injured near the collapse. Both subjects were working for a sub-contracting company, which is involved in the renovation work at the Civic Center. The collapse involved a small area near the east doors.
The Civic Center has been undergoing renovations since the spring. The construction project spans four square blocks between 8th and 9th streets. It includes expansion and improvements to the Farmers Market, gym renovations and new lighting and sound to the stage. The north hall is also being expanded to provide year-round indoor market space and more recreation space.
==================
HOLLAND, Mich. (WOOD) — A man was killed Tuesday afternoon when part of the ceiling collapsed at the Holland Civic Center, which is undergoing renovations.
The Holland Department of Public Safety says the collapse happened around 3:10 p.m. and involved a small area near the front door. Responding police and firefighters found one person trapped under concrete debris and another injured nearby.
The scene where one person was killed and another seriously injured in a partial ceiling collapse at the Holland Civic Center, which is under construction. (Aug. 1, 2017) Firefighters freed the man who was trapped within about 15 minutes, Holland DPS Capt. Keith Mulder said, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The second man was rushed to Holland Hospital with serious injuries. Holland Hospital told 24 Hour News 8 Tuesday afternoon his condition was stable.
Neither man’s name was released Tuesday afternoon, but authorities said both were subcontractors working on the renovations.
The cause of the collapse is not yet known.
The scene where one person was killed and another seriously injured in a partial ceiling collapse at the Holland Civic Center, which is under construction. (Aug. 1, 2017) “It’s a very tragic accident and our hearts go out to the families,” Holland Mayor Nancy DeBoer said at an afternoon press conference. “The time right now is to think about them, share in their grief and pray for their families.”
When asked how the city would move forward, DeBoer replied, “One step at a time.”
“We’ll work it out and there will be an investigation,” she continued.
The Civic Center was built in 1954, DeBoer said. The construction project there has been underway since the spring and spans four square blocks between 8th and 9th streets. It includes expansion and improvements to the Farmers Market, gym renovations and new lighting and sound to the stage. The north hall is also being expanded to provide year-round indoor market space and more recreation space.
One of the lead contractors on the project is GDK. State records show that GDK was cited in February 2016 for duty to have fall protection and twice in March 2016 for asbestos violations — the only three citations in 14 inspections since 2013.