BOSTON — 25 Investigates has learned a dump truck at a construction site in the Financial District was backing up when it accidentally hit two men, causing them to fall 20-feet to their death into a trench.
25 Investigates found the company involved has been cited for five previous safety violations going back to 2016.
OSHA fined Atlantic Coast Utilities nearly $35,000 in September 2016 for three major safety violations involving trenching hazards. We’re told the company never paid the penalties.
OSHA has now launched an investigation into Wednesday’s incident.
The agency told us “The purpose of OSHA’s inspection is to determine whether or not there have been any violation of workplace safety standards. OSHA does not discuss the specifics of ongoing inspections.”
A source tells #25Investigates dump truck was backing up when it accidentally hit two men and knocked them in to a trench on High St in Boston. Both men pronounced dead at scene. We’ve been looking into the company running the job site. Live report at 6 #boston25 pic.twitter.com/NWTZ0cNNqi
— Ted Daniel (@tvnewzted) February 24, 2021
The company has worked on a series of water and sewer projects for the city of Boston and was currently working on one other job.
According to the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, Atlantic Coast Utilities was hired by LDJ Development to do the work at the downtown site of Wednesday’s accident.
The company’s owner, Laurence Moloney, has a current construction license but according to documents 25 Investigates found from the Attorney General’s Office, Moloney was barred from government bids in Massachusetts between 2009 and 2011 following a settlement between the AG and Moloney’s old company Shannon Construction.
The AG’s office says he pleaded guilty to charges of failing to pay full wages to dozens of workers who spent almost a year working on various construction jobs in Boston.
25 Investigates has also learned that Atlantic Coast has been cited 28 times for commercial vehicle violations in the last two years. That is above the national average for the company’s size.
“I wish I could just see him one more time, you know? That’s all I want.” Sister or victim in trench incident. Her brother, 27 Jordan Romero, died she said after falling 20 feet down a hole at a construction site. He was a worker there. He was recently married, 2 kids @boston25 pic.twitter.com/gLaEBV3uEx
— Evan White (@EvanWhiteIII) February 24, 2021
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