13-7-2024 (LAUSANNE) A tragic accident occurred on July 12 at a construction site in Prilly, a suburb of Lausanne, Switzerland, when scaffolding collapsed from a 19-story building under construction, resulting in three fatalities and eight injuries.
The incident took place shortly before 9:30 a.m. local time, when the entire scaffolding structure on one side of the 60-meter-high tower came crashing down “like a house of cards,” according to a witness.
Regional police confirmed that around a dozen people were directly impacted by the accident, including three construction workers who lost their lives. The deceased have been identified as a 43-year-old Swiss man, a 35-year-old from Cape Verde, and a 30-year-old Frenchman. Their families have been notified and are receiving psychological support.
Of the eight injured, four sustained serious injuries, while two others were moderately injured. All six were promptly transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
The 12th of July 2024 in #Lausanne, #Switzerland, a scaffolding #collapses, swept away by a freight elevator. pic.twitter.com/w4WLs9YkvO
— Rossthefox – NO WAR IS HAPPENING!!! (@Oranges11122334) July 12, 2024
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene as yellow-clad firefighters clambered over the twisted metal debris at the foot of the building, working to stabilize the remaining parts of the scaffolding. The rescue efforts were complicated by poor weather conditions, but authorities stated that work would continue through the night and into July 13.
Police spokesman Jean-Christophe Sauterel stated that the cause of the accident remained unclear, prompting the public prosecutor’s office to launch an investigation.
According to RTS public broadcaster, initial information suggests that the freight elevator used to transport construction workers and materials to the top of the building may have fallen from around the 13th floor, bringing down the scaffolding with it.
Local resident Fernand Monot witnessed the collapse shortly after seeing a group of construction workers emerge from a nearby shop with pastries and head towards the elevator. “I saw the freight elevator going up, and then suddenly I heard a loud noise… Everything collapsed,” he recounted.
Construction workers at the site, which is slated to house up to 200 people upon completion, expressed shock at the incident but reported no particular safety concerns prior to the collapse. Some suggested that excessive weight in the freight elevator might have contributed to the accident.
The tragic event has left the local community shaken, with one witness describing the sound of the collapse as “frightening” and likening it to a bomb explosion.
