A mural painter fell to his death while two others dangled from safety harnesses 40 feet above ground Monday after a scaffold collapsed at a 41-story luxury condominium resort being built in Hollywood.
UPDATE: Hollywood police on Tuesday identified the survivors as Douglas Hoekzema, 36, of Boca Raton and Jonathan Olsen, 36, of Miami.
The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office was scheduled to perform an autopsy on the deceased painter. His identity was withheld by police because relatives had not yet been notified of his death, a Hollywood police spokesman said.
The accident happened on the south side of the Hyde Resort & Residences, 4111 South Ocean Drive, fire officials said.
“We don’t know if it was a problem with a wire or mechanical difficulties with the scaffold,” said Christopher Del Campo, battalion chief for Hollywood Fire Rescue.
First on the scene after the 1:30 p.m. accident was Hallandale Beach Fire Rescue, whose station sits in the shadow of the new tower that is supposed to house residents in January.
“Our guys heard the crash and thought something hit our building,” said Lori Williams, division chief for Hallandale Beach Fire Rescue. “We called in Hollywood’s technical rescue team, and our fire engine with a 75-foot ladder responded.”
Of the two painters who were hanging aloft, Williams said, “Both were wearing their safety harnesses, which prevented another tragedy.”
Hollywood Fire rescue brought one of the men to the ground; the other descended on the fire truck ladder, a spokeswoman for Hollywood Police said.
In photographs released by Hallandale Beach Fire Rescue, one of the painters can be seen holding on to a cable while 40 feet in the air, his feet wedged into an air vent as the ladder carrying a firefighter approaches him.
Another image shows a painter on the ground. He has a head injury, and is covered in yellow paint as firefighters ease him onto a back board.
Two of the painters were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, where one was pronounced dead and the other was in serious condition, police said.
The third man was evaluated for injuries at the construction site, Del Campo said.
The men were working on an abstract mural that features circles painted in the vivid blues of the sea, a design by Douglas Hoekzema also known as Hoxxoh, Hollywood Police said.
The fatal accident happened near the area’s landmark Hallandale Beach water tower that is painted to resemble a beach ball.
The Hyde Resort is by the border between the two cities. The general contractor for the project is John Moriarty & Associates of Florida, Inc., according to a city of Hollywood spokeswoman.
The contractor, mural designer and representatives for the Hyde Resort could not be reached for comment.
Hollywood Fire Rescue inspectors and police are investigating the incident, as is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the city said.
Staff Researcher Barbara Hijek contributed to this report. ljtrischitta@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4233 or Twitter @LindaTrischitta
