Authorities are investigating the death of a 25-year-old construction worker who fell Tuesday (Dec. 3) during renovations at the Texas A&M stadium in College Station, TX.

Angel Garcia fell from the fourth level at the north end of Kyle Field about 11:30 a.m. local time, according to university officials. He was transported to a nearby hospital in Bryan, TX, where he later died.

Details regarding the exact distance of the fall and whether the victim was equipped with fall protection were not available Wednesday (Dec. 4) morning. Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, according to federal safety officials.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Texas A&M University System, and the university’s police department are among the agencies investigating the incident.

Kyle Field is undergoing a $450 million upgrade led by Manhattan-Vaughn Construction, of Houston.

Subcontractor Employee

Garcia was an employee of subcontractor Lindamood Demolition, of Irving, TX, the university said. The company did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment.

According to its website, Lindamood Demolition has more than 30 years of experience in commercial and residential demolition. The company’s portfolio includes the University of Texas Science Building in Austin and Providence Hospital in Waco.

“Each member of the team has a responsible attitude toward safety and environmental issues,” the website said.

A review of OSHA’s database indicated the company was cited in May for one other-than-serious safety violation regarding preparatory operations. The penalty fine was $4,900, later reduced to $2,000 via an informal settlement.  

Kyle Field Project, Contractors

The Kyle Field redevelopment project began immediately after the last home game of the 2013 Texas A&M football season.

The project includes expanding the seating from 82,600 to 102,500, which will make the stadium the largest in the Southeastern Conference.

Koralie Hill / OSHA

Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. OSHA's Stop Falls website educates workers regarding fall protection and prevention.

The company selected for the redevelopment project was Manhattan-Vaughn, a joint venture partnership between Manhattan Construction and Vaughn Construction.

According to an announcement on Vaughn Construction’s website, the company has built 45 projects valued at more than $600 million on eight campuses of the Texas A&M University System. Manhattan also built Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX, and Reliant Stadium in Houston.

OSHA’s database did not show any recent safety violations for Manhattan Construction. However, Vaughn Construction was cited in October 2011 for the fall protection hazards. The initial penalty was first classified as serious, but the citation was later reduced to other-than-serious in an informal conference. The $4,500 fine remained.

Manhattan-Vaughn declined to comment on the incident and said the university was handling all media.

Second Major University Incident

This is the second major construction accident on the Texas A&M University campus this year. In June, a steel building frame collapsed at the university's Equestrian Complex, injuring five construction workers, three critically.

The collapsed structure, a barn about 300 feet long, was one of eight buildings under construction at the new complex. The general contractor on that project was Gamma Construction Company, of Houston.

An OSHA spokesman said Wednesday that its investigation is ongoing in that case.