COPIAH COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT/Gray News) – A contractor fell through the roof of a middle school while working on it on Friday.
According to authorities, Eduardo Cruz Moran was killed after he fell through the gymnasium roof at Crystal Springs Middle School in Mississippi.
Moran, 31, was working for a private company hired to repair or replace the school’s roof.
No students were at the school when the incident happened.
“We had gotten out of school about 1:45 that day. That was an early day for us,” Cpt. Gerome LeFlore said. “We’re grateful no kids or staff were here when it occurred.”
LeFlore is the director of safety for the Copiah County School District.
He confirmed to WLBT that Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials were investigating the matter and had already spoken with company representatives.
“They came down. They had some interviews with the company that I wasn’t a part of … They did look at the scene. They took some photographs,” he said. “We’re waiting on their report.”
LeFlore would not name the company but said the firm is from out of state and was chosen through bidding.
Deputy Copiah County Coroner Judy Evans said Moran was living with family in Texas when he came to Mississippi to help with the project. His family there was notified on Friday. Moran’s parents still live in Mexico, Evans said.
LeFlore said the district did not oversee day-to-day operations at the construction site, and added that there was no engineer on site to oversee the work.
“Once the job is contracted out, the district doesn’t play a part in that,” he said.
LeFlore said OSHA had given some recommendations to the company, and that it was putting those recommendations in place.
Crews were working on the roof Monday when WLBT was at the scene. One worker appeared to put on a safety harness after we arrived.
The repairs are expected to be completed before students and faculty return to school in January.
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