Construction worker dies after accident at high school in Portland, Oregon
An ironworker has died after being injured in an accident at a high school construction site in Portland, Oregon.
The Oregonian reports that Samantha “Sam” Deschenes was “badly injured in an accident” Thursday at Benson Polytechnic High School and admitted to an intensive care unit at a local hospital. She died on Saturday.
The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health has opened an investigation into the woman’s death. A spokesperson said that “preliminary information indicates it was an accident involving a forklift.”
A spokesperson for Portland Public Schools couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. A representative of the contractor, Andersen Construction, said Monday that work has been suspended at the site “in the interest of the health and well-being of our team members.”
The modernization of Benson began in 2021 and is scheduled to be complete this summer, according to the district’s website. During construction, students have been attending classes at the Marshall campus in Southeast Portland.
