A 33-year-old worker was killed Friday when a floor collapsed on him a Brooklyn construction site that had no Building Department permits — and whose owner or contractor never submitted plans to the city, officials said.
The first floor of a two-story building under construction at 1266 50th St. in Borough Park collapsed at about 12:10 p.m. The worker was in a cellar when the floor collapsed in a V-shape on top of him, said FDNY Assistant Chief Joseph Ferrante.
Two other workers present when the floor collapsed escaped, said officials.
Firefighters shored up the fallen floor, “dug the dirt out from underneath the victim and removed him from the collapsed area,” Ferrante said.
But despite the firefighters’ quick work, they were too late. Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Police did not immediately identify the victim. But a man who identified himself as the victim’s brother was at the scene late Friday afternoon, and said the dead worker was Juan Tamayo.
“We’re from Ecuador. He leaves behind two kids and one unborn,” the man said before leaving in a car with a crying woman.
City records show the site is owned by Juda Horowitz, who could not be reached Friday.
No construction permit was ever issued for the site, Buildings Commissioner James Oddo told reporters at the collapse scene.
“There are absolutely no plans submitted to the Department of Buildings,” Oddo told reporters. “So this fatality absolutely should not have happened. They should not have been doing this work.”
The Buildings Department got a complaint about the work on Dec. 23, and an inspector visited Dec. 26, city records show. The work underway at the site included excavation and foundation work.
The inspector was not able to access the site, and posted a notice at an entrance advising the owner to get in touch with the department, the records show.
An inspector returned to the site Jan. 4, and found that there was no permit posted for the “excavation/foundation” work being done on a roughly 35-foot long by 12-foot high wall.
The Buildings Department issued a stop work order. City records state that construction had taken place at the site “without permits issued by the Department of Buildings,” and that the “only work allowed is to make site safe.”
Oddo said the Buildings Department will pursue penalties in the case.
“We will use whatever is in our capability,” he said. “It’s a $12,000 fine for the initial work [without a permit]. Violating the stop work order is another $25,000 fine.
“There could be multiple fines at this location so the amount may end up in six figures,” Oddo said.
