Construction worker crushed to death by concrete slab in Lapu-Lapu

A 39-year-old construction worker died after he was crushed by a concrete floor slab when a crane operator miscalculated the weight of the slab at a construction site in Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A miscalculation by a crane operator at a construction site in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu became the cause of a tragedy when a concrete slab fell on a worker on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

The victim, a construction worker, was crushed to death by a pre-cast concrete slab that weighed 600 kilograms.

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The fatal incident reportedly happened at around 1:30 p.m. at a construction site inside a subdivision in Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City.

The deceased was identified as 39-year-old Joseph Alvaro-Salburo, married and a resident of Barangay Matab-ang in Toledo City.

Salburo was installing iron grill reinforcement at the construction site at the time of the incident when a slab of concrete suddenly fell on him and crushed his whole body.

Investigation showed that the concrete slab fell because of a mistake by the crane operator who was moving it.

Police Major Jaypee Dagami, chief of Gun-ob Police Station, narrated that witnesses said that the boom of the crane was fully extended despite the very short distance that the operator was moving the concrete slab to.

Because the operator miscalculated the equipment’s weight-load ratio, it began turning sideways and the concrete slab fell directly on the victim below.

Salburo, who was only wearing gloves as safety gear, died on the spot.

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This was despite the efforts of personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP-R7) Lapu Lapu City District and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) who responded to the scene.

The crane operator, identified as Oliver Navarro, 39, from Barangay Masaba in Danao City was promptly arrested.

Dagami said that it was found that Navarro did not have the proper license to operate the equipment.

He said that the company, who hired Navarro as a subcontractor, may be held liable for the damage and required to pay compensation to the victim’s family.

Meanwhile, Navarro is now detained at the custodial facility of the Gun-ob Police Station pending the filing of a charge of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide against him.

Dagami said that they would be waiting for the victim’s family to visit the police station and relay their decision for the formal filing of the complaint.