{"id":263215,"date":"2023-03-08T02:53:04","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T08:53:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=263215"},"modified":"2023-03-08T12:57:32","modified_gmt":"2023-03-08T18:57:32","slug":"spokane-tribe-casino-construction-accident-leads-to-workers-death-cause-under-investigation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/spokane-tribe-casino-construction-accident-leads-to-workers-death-cause-under-investigation\/","title":{"rendered":"Spokane Tribe Casino Construction Accident Leads to Worker\u2019s Death, Cause Under Investigation"},"content":{"rendered":"

A 27-year-old woman died Tuesday morning following a construction accident<\/a> at the Spokane Tribe Casino<\/a> in Washington State.<\/p>\n

\"The
The hotel under construction at the Spokane Tribe Casino in Washington State, pictured above. The site was the scene of a construction accident that left one worker dead. (Image: KXLY<\/em>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The worker, identified as Ana Vetter, was described as a journeyman carpenter who worked for a subcontractor on the project. She apparently died at the construction site. It appears no one else was injured.<\/p>\n

The accident took place at about 9:30 a.m. at the five-story hotel now being built at the Airway Heights, Wash. complex.<\/p>\n

\n

The cause of the accident remains under investigation by Washington State<\/a> and federal officials, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Vetter’s death doesn’t appear to have been caused by a building collapse, based on initial news reports.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

One local TV station, KREM, <\/em>reported Vetter’s death was linked to a \u201cformwork collapse.\u201d Formwork is the mold in which concrete is placed to eventually dry into shapes.<\/p>\n

One of the companies working on the construction project, Swinerton, Inc., released a statement on Tuesday confirming that a \u201cformwork collapse\u201d occurred.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe circumstances of this situation are unclear at this time and it is too early to speculate on what may have been the cause of this incident. Safety is our number one priority, when something like this happens it is our responsibility to find out why,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n

Witnesses reported a loud noise before the incident.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe noise it made was unlike anything I\u2019ve ever heard before,\u201d Rick Bennett, the CEO of BioGone, told Washington State TV station KHQ<\/em>. Bennett was at the casino for a business meeting.<\/p>\n

The whole parking lot shook. It was so loud. So heavy that it literally made this big parking lot shake. I didn’t see what fell, but I sure felt it,”<\/strong> Bennett was quoted by Washington State TV station KXLY<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When Bennett asked workers what took place, they pointed out how a crew was lifting a \u201cmassive piece of metal\u201d with a crane, KXLY <\/em>reported.\u00a0He estimated it was 30 by 70 or 90 feet large.<\/p>\n

Recently Engaged<\/h2>\n

Vetter had been working at the construction site for a couple of months and was recently engaged to her fiance.<\/p>\n

\n

NEW: The person killed in a construction accident at Spokane Tribe Casino has been identified by family as 27-year-old Ana Vetter. Her parents called the station and told me she loved her job, fiance and 4 dogs. Their emotional interview tonight at 10 and 11 on @KREM2<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/NyT5iNTKof<\/a><\/p>\n

— Kyle Simchuk (@KyleSimchuk) March 8, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n