A 45-year-old labourer was killed and another worker seriously injured after a section of a building collapsed at Balcombe Drive Primary and Junior High School in Waterhouse, St Andrew, on Tuesday.
The deceased has been identified as Shine Johnson of Gordon Town, St Andrew.
The incident happened shortly after 2 p.m. while the men were carrying out refurbishment work on a corridor connecting classrooms at the school. According to reports, the workers were working on a structural column when a section of the building suddenly gave way.
Emergency personnel, including members of the Jamaica Fire Brigade and police, responded to the scene. Johnson was found beneath the collapsed structure and was pronounced dead, while the second worker was rescued and taken to the Kingston Public Hospital for treatment.
What Happened At The School?
Initial reports indicate that the men were working on columns supporting a concrete slab over the corridor.
An eyewitness said that the workers were reportedly using a jackhammer on a column when it gave way, causing the structure above them to collapse.
A contractor involved in the project also said that he had reportedly instructed the two men not to begin work because he was waiting for props that were intended to support the structure.
However, authorities have not yet released a final determination on what caused the collapse. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
Ministry Of Education Launches Assessment
The Ministry of Education and Skills Development has moved to assess the situation following the tragedy.
Technical officers were at the school on Wednesday as part of an assessment of the affected structure. The Ministry has also said that an enquiry will be conducted to determine exactly what led to the collapse.
Thankfully, no students were on the school compound when the structure collapsed. Classes were not in session at the time, although the school’s principal said some teachers who witnessed the incident were left traumatised.
The Ministry has also dispatched counsellors and social support officers to assist members of the school community and those affected by the tragedy.
Jamaicans React To The Tragedy
News of the incident has also prompted an emotional response online, with social media users expressing sympathy for the workers and raising concerns about the condition and safety of older structures.
One person wrote, “they were just making an honest living 😢”, while another commented, “these old buildings need to be seriously looked at asap.”
Others questioned whether sufficient safety measures were in place before work began, while some users focused on the fact that the tragedy could have been even worse had students been present at the time.
Investigation Underway
The fatal collapse has raised questions about the condition of the structure and the safety procedures being followed during the refurbishment work. Those questions are expected to form part of the investigation now being undertaken by the relevant authorities.
For the family of Shine Johnson, however, the investigation cannot change the fact that a day of work ended in tragedy. The second worker remains under medical care as authorities continue to determine exactly what went wrong.
