Falling Scaffolding Kills Worker In Chelsea; City Says It Was Preventable

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A falling piece of scaffolding killed a construction worker Monday morning in Chelsea, and the city said it was preventable.

As WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported, the city has ordered all work stopped at what would be an office building that looks like an asymmetrical pile of glass blocks – towering over the 14th Street Apple Store.

The Department of Buildings came out with an unusually pointed statement: "This tragedy appears to be completely preventable, and we're taking enforcement actions against all parties involved."

A scaffolding bracket came loose Monday morning and came tumbling down, hitting a 34-year-old worker in the head and killing him.

The contractor had been hit with multiple violations since the summer – several of them related to the scaffolding.

The Buildings Department spokesman went on, "We're working closely with law enforcement."

The person who answered the phone at general contractor TG Nickel & Associates said no one was available for comment late Monday.