Construction accident fatal

A construction worker was killed Tuesday when he was pinned beneath a steel beam at the Lewis Street bridge construction site.

Anthony Marino, 46, of Folsom, was pronounced dead at the scene, said Iberia Parish Coroner Dr. James Falterman Sr.

"He had multiple traumatic injuries," Falterman said, "mainly compression injuries from a large beam."

Iberia Parish Sheriff Sid Hebert said Marino was a field engineer with Boh Brothers Construction Co., the New Orleans-based company contracted to build the bridge. He said deputies responded to the site at 2:40 p.m.

"He and others were attempting to hoist into place a large I-beam," Hebert said. "They had it hoisted up, and from what we understand, the beam rolled over and pinned him in his place. We're talking about a piece of equipment that was tons worth."

Hebert said the accident is being investigated by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. He said OSHA investigates all fatal construction accidents.

A search of OSHA's Web site showed Boh Brothers Construction has had no fatal accidents within the past five years. The company was issued three citations for safety violations in Slidell in 2001 and two more in Covington earlier this year, according to OSHA inspection records.

Larry Henley, project manager for Boh Brothers Construction, declined to comment about the accident, saying it was under investigation.

Boh Brothers Construction was awarded the $13.3 million Lewis Street bridge project in 2003.

The project will replace the present two-lane bridge with a new five-lane structure about 150 feet downstream from its current location.

The construction project was expected to be completed in late 2005.

Bill Fontenot, district engineer for the state Department of Transportation and Development, could not immediately be reached for comment about whether Tuesday's accident would delay completion of the construction project.