Worker killed by falling masonry at Turtle Bay rental building

The building is owned by Kenneth Rotner of Great Bay Building Company

311 East 50th Street (Credit: Google Maps)
311 East 50th Street (Credit: Google Maps)

A construction worker repairing masonry on a scaffold at 311 East 50th Street was killed Monday after being struck in the head by a falling coping stone.

The 51-year-old man’s name has not been released, the New York Times reports.

He was rescued by firefighters following the incident, but died later at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

The 14 story rental building is owned by Kenneth Rotner of Great Bay Building Company. Last year, the company was granted a permit by the Department of Buildings for $48,000 of repairs to the building’s exterior, according to the Times.

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A sign outside the building said the construction work was being done by VLAD Restoration, the Times reports. Last year, the company and its owner, Vlad Tomczak, settled a lawsuit with six demolition workers over unpaid overtime, paying $129,000.

“We’ll do an investigation as to the cause of the accident and make a determination of any liability and what they did right or did wrong,” Timothy Hogan, deputy commissioner of enforcement for the Department of Buildings, told the Times.

The Fire Department is also investigating site conditions and dangers to workers at the building, citing a “partial facade collapse.”

Rents at the rental building range between $2,000 and $4,500, according to StreetEasy. [NYT] – Decca Muldowney