3 Dead, 1 Hurt in Partial Collapse of Houston High-Rise Under Construction
Three workers were killed on Oct. 5 when a stairwell collapsed inside a high-rise building under construction in Houston, according to fire department officials.
The fire department said one injured worker was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition.
A fire department rescue team was on the scene, but authorities were still assessing the building as it was “too unstable” to enter and recover the victims, said Assistant Fire Chief Ruy Lozano. Authorities were working with an engineer at the site of the building.
The stairwell collapse on the building’s lower floors was reported about 1:30 p.m. Monday.
The 15-story office building, located near Interstate 10 on the city’s westside, is set to be the new headquarters of Houston-based Marathon Oil. Employees were set to move into the building in the second half of 2021.
Marathon Oil did not immediately return an email seeking comment.
The building is located across the street from a series of multi-story apartment complexes and is also north of a popular shopping district that has retail stores and restaurants.
Authorities said more than 200 other workers were accounted for but rescue crews were still working to ensure there were no other victims.
It was not immediately known what caused the partial building collapse.
The names of the workers who were killed and injured were not immediately released.