Construction worker falls to his death at 45-18 Court Square Saturday (GMaps)
May 25, 2021 By Christina Santucci
A 32-year-old construction worker fell to his death while working on a building in Long Island City over the weekend.
Diego Lliguicota, from Maspeth, fell while trying to remove a ladder from scaffolding on the sixth floor at 45-18 Court Square at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, the Associated Press reported. He fell from the sixth floor to the second, authorities said.
Emergency responders brought him to Mount Sinai Queens in Astoria, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
The city Department of Buildings (DOB) is investigating Lliguicota’s death and placed a full stop work order on the building.
“Safety must be the top priority on every construction site across our city,” DOB spokesperson Andrew Rudansky said in a statement. “We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to find out how this tragic fall occurred, and if we find that safety rules were ignored, we will hold those responsible to account.”
DOB records show that the building has 16 open Environmental Control Board (OATH) violations dating back to November, totaling nearly $50,000 in fines. OATH violations are issued by the DOB when properties are not compliant with construction codes and zoning regulations.
Emergency responders also were previously called to the construction site in July – when construction workers discovered a large crack in the top floor of the building and more than 100 workers were evacuated.
The building, which dates back to the 1920s, is undergoing an extensive renovation and expansion, including construction of a new six-story addition. The property is slated for use as lab and office space.
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One Comment
The DOB need not be so high and mighty in their attitude. My building has been trying to get anyone at DOB to deal with a problem and we haven’t been able to get a response. We have called several times, we hired expeditors, we have sent emails and registered receipt mail and no one has even contacted us. This has been going on for 2 years. DOB is a mess and they only give out violations with no follow up. Us little guys that are playing by the rules get no help, no response and we have no one to turn to. DOB has blood on their hands by not doing their j0b.