Man who plunged from Putney high-rise development was Lithuanian carpenter (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Man who plunged from Putney high-rise development was Lithuanian carpenter

5:01pm Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News

A man who plunged to his death at a high-rise construction site has been confirmed as Lithuanian national Justinas Kopickas.

The 42-year-old carpenter died on Monday and two of his colleagues were injured, after he fell from the Langham Square development, Upper Richmond Road, Putney.

An investigation has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive and the police are no longer treating the incident as suspicious.

Initial reports suggested scaffolding had collapsed on an internally-facing section of the site but this has not been confirmed.

The 42-year-old, is believed to have been living in the UK for more than a decade.

One of the victim’s colleagues was released from hospital with minor injuries on Tuesday while the other, who sustained chest and abdominal injuries, remains at St George’s Hospital, Tooting.

Floral tributes and messages of condolence have been left at the scene, including messages written in Lithuanian.

A spokesman from HSE said: "Yesterday morning we had three inspectors on the site who are working with the police.

"It is obviously really tragic and we are continuing with initial enquiries and preparing a report for the coroner."

A paramedic at the scene, who was still in tears, described the accident and the injuries as "horrific".

Brenda Forster, a Putney resident, said: "I saw them lowering the stretcher which was holding one of the men but, because what happened was so awful, I didn’t want to see him so I walked away."

Commuter Farhad Anwar, who walks to work past the site every day, said: "I always walked on the other side of the road, instead of next to the scaffolding. I’m not sure what happened but I’ll never walk near scaffolding again."

It is not yet known what caused the fall at the eight-storey building, formerly Carlton Tower, which is being made into a 41 luxury flats and retail unit block by developers St James.

A spokesman for St James confirmed the site will remain closed for the rest of the week.

He said: "This morning we were alerted to an incident at St James’ Langham Square Development. It is with great sadness that we learned that a sub-contractor had been fatally injured.

"We are investigating this incident as a matter of urgency. Our sympathies are with the family of the contractor at this time."