Three workers were killed Monday when a concrete stairwell collapsed inside a high-rise building under construction in Houston, according to fire department officials. The fire department said one injured worker was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition.
Firefighters were waiting for engineers to confirm the building was stable enough for them to go in and recover the bodies of the workers, said Assistant Fire Chief Ruy Lozano. It could be several days before their bodies are recovered, he said.
“It is far too early to determine what’s the structural cause,” Lozano said. “But I can tell you anytime there’s a primary collapse, our biggest concern is a second collapse. That’s why we’re not permitting any other rescuers until we can confirm the stability of the structure.”
