1 Killed, 1 Severely Injured After Elevator Crash

Officials say a hoist cab, essentially a temporary elevator, somehow broke free as it was being installed for a construction project

The family of a New Hampshire man killed at a construction site in Massachusetts said Friday that he was a generous person who loved his two daughters and was an avid hunter.

Relatives of 40-year-old Ronald "Moose" Morse of Hooksett, New Hampshire, confirmed he was the worker who died Thursday in Somerville, Massachusetts, when a temporary hoist fell off a building. Another worker was seriously injured.

Morse leaves behind two daughters, ages 6 and 12.

"He was an awesome guy," his wife, Heidi Morse, told The Associated Press on Friday. "He was a great father. He was loved by many, many people. He was a hunter. He was a fisherman. He was a boater. Four-wheeling. Skiing. You name it, he did it."

The funeral is still being planned and no date has been set, relatives said.

Family members said Canadian construction workers gave him his nickname of Moose about 15 years ago because of his size - 6-foot-4 and at least 350 pounds.

The cause of the accident isn't known. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.

The accident happened Thursday afternoon at an administrative office building being built for Partners HealthCare. The worker who was injured was reported to be in serious but stable condition. His name hasn't been released.

The contractor, Suffolk Construction, said the workers were installing external hoists on the building when a hoist cab fell away from the building. The company says the workers were following all safety protocol.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Construction said Friday that Somerville officials don't want work to resume at the site until OSHA has removed the equipment involved in the accident, which is expected to happen Monday. She said work could resume as early as Monday afternoon.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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