Construction worker dies at Rabsky Group’s 625 Fulton

Raul Tenelema Puli of Queens was 27 years old

625 Fulton Street
625 Fulton Street (Google Maps, Fisher Rasmussen Whitefield Architects)

A 27-year old construction worker died Wednesday after he fell while installing a beam at a Rabsky Group development site in Downtown Brooklyn.

Raul Tenelema Puli of Queens was installing an i-beam for a sidewalk shed in front of the site, 625 Fulton Street, when he and the beam fell about 20 feet to the ground, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Buildings. Police arrived and found Puli unconscious.

Puli was transported to New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the New York Police Department.

Puli was employed by Colgate Scaffolding, a subcontractor on the site, according to the Department of Buildings. The agency issued a stop work order for the project, which is in the foundation stage of construction. The department’s investigation of the accident is ongoing.

Rabsky is building a 35-story, mixed-use tower at the site. The project, which will have 1,098 apartments, secured a $450 million construction loan from Madison Realty Capital last year.

City Council member Crystal Hudson, Laborers’ Local 79, and community members planned to hold a candlelight vigil at the site Wednesday afternoon. Construction at the project is believed to be nonunion.

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The council member issued a press release mentioning that the site received a violation for “failure to designate and/or have site safety manager or site safety coordinator present.” But the violation was resolved, according to the Department of Buildings’ website. The incident on Wednesday was first reported to the agency by the site’s safety manager, according to a person close to the matter.

Galaxy Development, the general contractor for the site, said in a statement, “We are deeply saddened at the tragic accident that happened at our work site and extend our sympathies to the family of the worker for Colgate Scaffolding who fell from a sidewalk shed as it was being installed.”

The statement added, “We have complied with all required safety rules, and we expect all contractors and subcontractors on the site to do the same.”

Colgate Scaffolding did not immediately return a request for comment.

Rabsky’s 625 Fulton Street development is one of the biggest rental projects in Brooklyn. The building will have 342 studios, 492 one-bedroom and 264 two-bedroom units. About 30 percent of the units will be affordable. Amenities include a tennis court.

Rabsky Group is among the most active developers in Brooklyn.