A worker dies trapped under a 5ton concrete slab for 7 hours after a balcony collapses in Jersey

A construction worker has died after being trapped under a five-ton concrete slab for seven hours after an eighth-story balcony collapsed in Jersey Shore.

Jose Pereira, 43, of Philadelphia — who worked for Ferguson Constructing Inc. in Pennsylvania — was pronounced dead by a Cape May forensic nurse around 10 p.m. Friday, according to the Sea Isle Police Department.

Jose was pinned down around 2:30 p.m. when the eighth floor balcony attached to Unit 712, weighing about 11,000 pounds, collapsed onto the seventh floor of the Spinnaker Condominium Complex. The building was constructed in the 1970s.

According to CBS News, witnesses heard calls for help after the collapse.

“Just total chaos,” witness Joye Fiocchi told the outlet. “Only people screaming. I immediately called 911.

“And just 20 minutes later I heard him screaming again. I guess he said put it off me and I never heard a thing [after].’

Jose Pereira, 43, of Philadelphia — who worked for Ferguson Constructing Inc. in Pennsylvania — was pronounced dead by a Cape May forensic nurse around 10 p.m. Friday

Jose was pinned down around 2:30 p.m. when the eighth floor balcony attached to Unit 712, weighing about 11,000 pounds, collapsed onto the seventh floor of the Spinnaker Condominium Complex

Eric Hupperich was on the break when he felt the collapse “through our bodies.” He told CBS News, “It was a really, really loud boom.”

Police tried to rescue Jose but were unable to do so as the area around it has “significant cracks” and the building was deemed “unsafe”. The occupants of the building were evacuated from the condominium.

After more equipment was brought in, authorities stabilized the seventh-story balcony before cutting in 12 inches of reinforced concrete. The crews lifted the panel with “heavy-life airbags” and were able to pull Jose out from under it.

After more equipment was brought in, authorities stabilized the seventh-story balcony before cutting in 12 inches of reinforced concrete. The crews lifted the panel with “heavy-life airbags” and were able to pull Jose out from under it

Two other contractors suffered minor injuries, according to CBS News.

Private engineers will conduct inspections of the building and residents will not be allowed to return until it is complete. All balconies on the south tower will be reinforced.

The police are investigating.

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk