A 65-year-old construction worker from Portugal died in an accident on Thursday while working on the roof of the southern thermal power station. The man had been commissioned with welding work and at around 1:45 p.m., for reasons that are still unknown, he fell about 15 to 20 meters through an opening boarded up with wooden boards onto a manhole cover, where he lay lifeless. Colleagues of the 65-year-old immediately began resuscitation measures.
The alerted fire and rescue services and the emergency doctor intensified the resuscitation. The construction worker could still be transported from his position at a height of about 30 meters to a clinic, where he died shortly afterwards. Officials from Commissariat 13, which is responsible for industrial accidents, took over the investigation. Among other things, it is still unclear whether the casualty was trained for the welding work and secured according to the regulations.
A crane heaves components onto the roof of the thermal power station
According to the Stadtwerke, only experienced plant constructors were commissioned to replace the gas and steam turbines in the southern cogeneration plant. The construction site is secured according to all safety regulations, and the workers there are equipped and instructed accordingly, the municipal subsidiary reports. The municipal utilities are responsible for overarching coordination, but the companies commissioned are responsible for the safety of the respective construction project.
Work on the two gas and steam turbine plants has been going on for two years. In mid-August, the first segment of a 220-ton recooler was hoisted onto the roof of the combined heat and power plant using a heavy-duty crane. Other components are to follow.