Man Falls to Death While Dismantling California Plant

A construction worker fell to death his while helping to dismantle the abandoned Kern Power Plant in California.

State occupational safety investigators are investigating the accident, which occurred shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday. The 51-year-old died two hours later.

The man, believed to be from Los Angeles, was suspended in a basket when he fell 50 feet to his death. A spokesman for Cal-OSHA told the Bakersfield Californian he was using a torch to cut beams in a boiler room in an old Pacific Gas and Electric plant. A falling beam hit the basket.

The Cal-OSHA spokesman said investigators are looking into whether the man was wearing a safety harness.

The man’s name has not yet been released. He was an employee of Cleveland Wrecking Co. of Covina.