UPMC Accident : Woman dies after construction accident near University of Pittsburgh's campus

A construction worker at the University of Pittsburgh was killed when a steel cylinder rolled downhill and crushed her.

Near the Petersen Events Center in Oakland, in the 3700 block of Terrace Street, Pittsburgh Police and EMS were sent at approximately 10:40 a.m. on Friday. A woman was discovered with "significant, grave injuries" to the head when first responders reached the scene.

According to eyewitnesses, the woman and her coworkers were out for a stroll when a massive steel cylinder slipped away from the Victory Heights building site at the University of Pittsburgh. According to a representative from UPMC, the woman worked at the Western Psychiatric Hospital.

Gilbane and Massaro are partners at the construction site. Authorities said Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that the woman, who remained unnamed, was crushed to death as the cylinder rolled down a hill, through a fence, and finally came to rest against a truck.

Onlookers, including a registered nurse, tried to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but failed. According to Emily Bourne of Pittsburgh Public Safety, the woman was pronounced dead just one minute after emergency personnel arrived.

The construction manager on the project released the following statement:

“We are working closely with authorities to investigate this tragic incident involving one of our subcontractors. We’re grateful to the first responders for their swift actions at the site. “We are deeply saddened by today’s events and our hearts go out to the family of the individual impacted by this incident.”

The following statement on behalf of Costa Contracting was released by attorney Dennis Blackwell:

With heavy hearts, Costa Contracting wishes to extend their deepest condolences to the family of the woman who lost her life today, Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this profoundly difficult time. Costa Contracting is committed to a full investigation to determine the factors that led to this event. 

Safety remains our paramount concern and we are working with OSHA and local authorities to understand precisely what occurred. At this time, we respect the privacy of the family and ask that others do the same. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

The University of Pittsburgh released the following statement about the incident:

“Earlier today, a pedestrian was fatally injured near a construction site in the vicinity of DeSoto Street and Terrace Street. The individual is not a current student or employee of the University of Pittsburgh. 

No other injuries have been reported and no additional details are available at this time. The City of Pittsburgh and Occupational Safety and Health Administration will lead the investigation with the full support of the University. 

We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victim. Resources are available to support University of Pittsburgh community members, including Life Solutions and the University Counseling Center."