Boston

2 Killed in ‘Tragic' Construction Accident in Boston

The incident occurred around 8 a.m. in the city's Financial District

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Two people were killed in a construction accident in Boston's Financial District on Wednesday morning, official said.

Police said they were called to the area of 190 High St. around 8 a.m. for a report of two people who had been struck by a motor vehicle. Officials said two men were reportedly struck by a dump truck and fell into a trench.

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Upon arrival, police said they located a construction site and then located the bodies of the two men in a trench. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

Two workers died after a dump truck crashed into a construction site.

The victims were identified Wednesday as 28-year-old Jordan Romero and 32-year-old Carlos Gutierrez.

"I always looked up to him as my older brother," said Romero's sister, Leslie Villalopos.

Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra spoke with the family of Gutierrez, a father from Guatemala who had spent 12 years in the U.S. before he died.

Romero was also a father.

"My brother was a father of two kids who are never going to see their dad again," Villalopos said.

"This is a tragic incident," Boston police Superintendent-in-Chief Gregory Long said.

"It's a sad day," Mayor Marty Walsh added. "Just a really sad, sad incident on what started as a beautiful day today."

Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident.

"Right now we don't know if this is a crime. We know this is a tragedy," Rollins said.

In a news conference about a construction incident, officials say two people were killed in Boston Wednesday morning.

Walsh said in a statement that the city is working with the district attorney, OSHA and other regulatory and safety agencies to determine the cause of the accident. In the meantime, he said the city immediately suspended Atlantic Coast Utilities' only other permitted worksite in Boston. The company will not be allowed to perform work in the city until the investigation is complete.

Aerial video from the scene showed a crane and emergency personnel centered around what looked like a dump truck.

Boston police said High Street between Oliver Street and the John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road was temporarily closed as a result of the rescue operation.

Records reviewed by the NBC10 Boston Investigators show OSHA cited Atlantic Coast Utilities twice before for violating workplace safety rules.

Federal safety officials hit the company with almost $35,000 in penalties in 2016 after inspecting a job site in Boston.

Atlantic Coast Utilities also received two serious violations in March of 2019 for conditions at a site in East Boston.

It's facing $7,500 in additional fines in that case.

An active investigation continues on High Street in Boston, after two men were hit by a vehicle and killed in a construction incident.

Federal records show it contested those violations. According to OSHA, that citation was later withdrawn.

NBC10 Boston asked the mayor's office whether the city was aware of those prior violations. We did not immediately receive a response.

"Our hearts are broken over the loss of life suffered by two wonderful people due to what appears to be a tragic vehicle accident," Atlantic Coast Utilities said in a statement. "Our love, thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and coworkers at this very sad time."

The company added that it would provide information in the coming days on a fund to help the victims' families.

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