Man Falls 9 Stories to His Death When Hotel Scaffolding Buckles

A 30-year-old worker from Victorville died in Irvine on Friday when scaffolding broke away from a building under construction and he plunged nine stories, officials said.

Michael Ballou was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:45 p.m. by Orange County Fire Authority paramedics, Irvine Police Sgt. Leo Jones said.

Ballou was part of a crew building the Marriott Residence Inn at 2855 Main St. He was on the east side of the top level of the building helping workers move air conditioners with a crane, Jones said.

Several people watched as the scaffolding broke away from the structure and Ballou lost his balance and fell, officials said. Officials said the victim was an employee of an air-conditioning subcontractor.

The scaffolding slumped 30 feet away from the building and came to rest leaning against the crane, Jones said. Another worker flagged down a police patrol car, and the officer called a rescue team.

The accident is being investigated by the California division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Jones said.

Richard Stephens, a spokesman for Cal/OSHA, said the agency will investigate several factors, including whether there were safety violations at the construction site or equipment failure.