Tragedy struck the Las Vegas Strip over the weekend as a construction worker who was on the crew erecting the grandstand for the Las Vegas Grand Prix died in a workplace accident. The man has been identified as 37-year-old Tizonic Antonio.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police responded to an emergency call on Saturday at the Fountains at Bellagio and found Antonio with a “major laceration” to his neck. Efforts to save him were unsuccessful, as he was pronounced dead at University Medical Center.
It is unknown at this time what exactly happened, though it was ruled an accident.
“Nevada OSHA officials were notified of the fatality that occurred Saturday on Bellagio’s property,” OSHA spokeswoman Teri Williams told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Officials were dispatched to the site of the incident to open an investigation.”
The accident comes as Las Vegas Grand Prix organizers have been receiving criticism for disruptions to everyday life that the race preparations are causing. Even more concerning was a tweet posted last month by Joe Dotson, who says he is the Data Engineering Lead for the Southwest Mountain States Carpenters, a carpentry trade union.
In the tweet, Dotson claimed that “word on the street” was that those in charge of getting things setup for the November Formula 1 race are using non-union labor to erect the “scaffolding,” though he seems to mean the grandstands or seating for viewing the race. Most of those workers, he said, do not have OSHA safety cards or certifications.
Obviously, “word on the street” is not proof and even if it is true, that does not necessarily mean those putting things in place are not doing a good job. There is also no reason to believe that Mr. Antonio’s death was caused by anything but a horrible accident.
A death is obviously much more serious than inconvenience, but the spectacle that will be the Las Vegas Grand Prix, 3.8-mile Formula 1 race centered on the Strip, has ruffled the feathers of many locals. In order to make room for the grandstands, MGM Resorts cut down trees in front of the Bellagio. Last year, the company said the trees would simply be transplanted and returned after the race, and while that appears to be the case with some trees, others have just been chopped down completely.
This has upset many local residents not only because a beautification is gone, but also because it was one of the few areas outside on the Strip with shade for pedestrians.
Local workers are also dreading the week of the race, as their commutes to and from work will be disrupted. Temporary bridges are being constructed to allow traffic to keep flowing during the race (though the bridges have walls to prevent anyone from seeing the event), but it looks like workers may still have to take the monorail, park in remote lots, and take shuttles to work.