TRURO, N.S. – A stop-work order placed on the site where a construction worker died this week has been lifted and repairs to the foundation began on Friday.
“All we can say at this point is that it’s been assessed by a competent person and found structurally sound enough that they can start to do the repairs,” said Scott Nauss, senior director of Inspection and Compliance with Occupational Health and Safety.
A construction worker was killed Wednesday afternoon when a concrete wall collapsed at the site.
The name of the victim has not been released.
Workers were reportedly doing excavation work at 1132 East Prince St., while preparing to repair leaks in the foundation wall when the mishap occurred.
Truro Fire Chief Blois Currie said shortly after the incident that a section of concrete wall about 20-feet long by six-feet high and a foot and a half thick had collapsed on the victim.
“We’ve been taking statements from eye witnesses, we’ve been gathering some evidence, taking photos and measurements and what not,” Nauss said. “And we’ve issued an order for an engineering assessment or an assessment by a competent person … to make sure the building is structurally sound.”
Residents of the home were forced to find temporary housing after a no-occupancy order was placed on the property for safety reasons by the Town of Truro building inspector.
“I have been told that as of yesterday they are displaced. They’re not permitted in,” Nauss said Friday. “We’ve been working very quickly with the building inspector as well with this file.”
And while no cause has yet been determined for that incident, Nauss cautioned all workers to remain focused on their tasks at this busy season.
“It seems like every Christmas we’re called to a tragic accident. It’s a bad time of year for accidents,” he said, without suggesting that was so in this case.
“I think there are a lot of distractions and just people rushing to get things done before the holidays.”
