OSHA investigating fatal construction accident in Argyle

As Arya Monticino pulled into the Argyle High School parking lot Thursday morning, she watched in disbelief as the under-construction activity center began to wobble and “cave in on itself.”

“As the first pillars started to collapse, you could hear them … creaking,” said Monticino, 17. “It was kind of a domino effect. … It became this huge sound — metal hitting metal, then hitting the ground.”

One worker was killed and three others were injured when the structure collapsed around 7:40 a.m., about 50 minutes before classes began at the school in Argyle, a small town that’s a mix of rural homesteads and upscale subdivisions 6 miles south of Denton.

Monticino said it felt “surreal” watching the framework fall, which took about five seconds and left the ground covered with a pile of twisted metal posts and beams.

The worker who died was on a lift that came down when the structure collapsed, said Argyle Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mac Hohenberg.

Two of the injured were taken to a hospital and later released. The other person injured was not hospitalized, Argyle school district Superintendent Telena Wright said.

Wright declined to identify the workers, who were employed by subcontractor Warnick Metal Building Erectors of Haltom City, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

“It’s a terrible tragedy,” Wright said. “I’m so very, very sorry.”

OSHA is investigating

OSHA said five investigators are on-site.

“Although it is difficult to determine how long an investigation will take, OSHA will work diligently to determine how this incident could have occurred and what must be done to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again,” Diana Petterson, regional director with the Labor Department’s Office of Public Affairs, said in an email to the Star-Telegram. “If violations of OSHA standards are found, then OSHA can and will issue citations accompanied by a monetary penalty.”

Corgan, the Dallas-based architectural firm that designed the activity center, said the part of the structure that collapsed was a pre-engineered — or “prefabricated” — frame.

“Not knowing at this time the cause of the incident this morning, we can only say that our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by the events,” Ann Franks, Corgan vice president, said in an email.

Monticino, a senior at Argyle High, said that as she looked at the steel framework seconds before it buckled, she noticed “there weren’t many crossbeams and I was wondering how the two they had up there was holding it up.”

She was “questioning what I saw” until several construction workers ran toward the site.

Officials with Warnick Metal did not respond to phone calls or emails from the Star-Telegram.

Warnick Metal was fined $4,200 in March 2012 for failing to employ fall protection for employees on steep roofs, according to OSHA records. OSHA reached a settlement with Warnick in May 2012, and the company agreed to pay $2,940.

In December 2007, Warnick Metal was sued by Milliorn Investments over a building that had collapsed in Haltom City during a tornado that April. It was built in 1998, court documents said, and the tornado knocked down several sections of wall. The suit said some sections were not properly welded, contributing to the collapse.

The lawsuit was dismissed in June 2009, court documents show.

A growing school district

Argyle, which encompasses an area from Interstate 35W to U.S. 377, is a town of about 3,500 that continues to grow as Dallas-Fort Worth sprawls into southwest Denton County.

The school district has about 2,000 students but is projected to more than double in size by 2023, according to a demographic study last year.

Argyle High, which competes in Class 4A, is a state powerhouse in band and athletics.

Argyle’s marching band is the four-time defending state University Interscholastic League champion.

The girls basketball team was the state champion this year while Argyle’s football and volleyball teams were state runners-up.

Looking to build on that success, voters approved the $3.7 million indoor practice facility, part of a $45 million bond package in May 2014 that also includes the construction of a new school, technology upgrades and renovations to stadiums.

Construction started on the activity center about three months ago and was expected to be finished in August, in time for the 2015-16 school year. It will be used primarily for band and athletics.

Indoor practice centers have become popular with school districts in recent years.

In Tarrant County, Carroll, L.D. Bell and Trinity are among high schools with the facilities.

In May 2009, a Dallas Cowboys indoor practice facility collapsed in heavy winds, injuring 12 people.

The National Weather Service said winds reached 22 mph in the Argyle area Thursday morning. A brief hailstorm that passed through north Tarrant County Wednesday night did not hit Argyle.

After the tragedy, students were told about the incident and parents were notified by email, Wright said.

Monticino said “the whole school went quiet” when the principal announced that a worker had died.

“My heart goes out to all the families,” Monticino said.

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 10:03 AM with the headline "OSHA investigating fatal construction accident in Argyle."