This afternoon’s death of a 16-year-old construction worker who fell from scaffolding 120 feet to the ground at the La Quinta Inn job site at 315 Interstate Drive is being classified as an accident.
The victim is identified as Gustavo Enrique Ramirez of Springfield, Tennessee.
Detectives were told that Ramirez was a part-time employee of Cortez Plastering, a subcontractor on the new hotel project. Ramirez’s 18-year-old brother reported that he was on the scaffolding with his back to the victim when he heard a noise, turned around, and saw his brother fall. He immediately called for help. There was no indication of foul play.
Detectives did not see a safety harness on the victim or the scaffolding. A representative from the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to the scene.