2:41 P.M. UPDATE:
The identity of an out-of-state roofing worker who fell through a skylight at Sam’s Club to the interior floor below has been provided by Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting.
He identified the adult male as Pedro Gonzalez, 42, West Chester, Ohio, who was an employee of an industrial roofing company based either in West Chester or Cincinnati.
There was believed to be at least one other worker on the roof when the incident occurred at about 2:19 p.m. Tuesday at Sam’s Club, 2715 Merchants Mile.
Investigators believe the worker was standing up near the skylight and slipped, falling through the skylight, but an investigation is continuing by a Columbus police detective as to what happened.
Nolting estimated that the fall from the skylight was 27 feet, and said the manner of death is pending as the office waits for toxicology results.
The coroner’s office said X-rays indicated the worker suffered multiple fractures to the skull and cervical spine in the incident and Gonzalez was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident remains an active investigation by the Columbus Police Department.
ORIGINAL STORY
COLUMBUS, Ind — Columbus police, firefighters and the Bartholomew County Coroner’s office are investigating the death of a worker who fell through a skylight in the roof of Sam’s Club and died.
First responders were sent to the store at 2715 Merchants Mile at 2:29 p.m. Tuesday at an adult male who had fallen through the skylight at the back of the building and fell to the floor near the bakery area, investigators said.
The fall was estimated to be around 60 to 75 feet to the floor, investigators said.
CPR and other lifesaving measures were undertaken at the scene but investigators said the individual, who authorities have not yet released a name, died at the scene.
Columbus police did have a detective at the scene as part of the investigation.
Investigators have not released what the individual was working on while on the roof before his death.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
