Cause of scaffolding collapse still not clear

Officials on Tuesday said they still weren’t sure what caused scaffolding to collapse from beneath two workers who were caulking a waterfront condominium complex Monday.

Wilfredo Barrios Jaldin, 42, died at the scene from blunt force injuries to the head, Charleston County Deputy Coroner Kelly Myers said.

Barrios Jaldin, originally from Bolivia, fell three stories and landed on a walkway after the scaffolding and a ladder gave way from Laurens Place about 4:15 p.m. A second man, 33-year-old Pablo Condora, was injured after he fell into the water, according to a Charleston police incident report. His condition was not available Tuesday.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration office in South Carolina is investigating the incident, which is standard operating procedure in all workplace deaths. An investigation looking for any violations that may have contributed to the death typically takes six to eight weeks, according to Lesia Shannon Kudelka, communications director.

Peter Only, owner of Traditional Surfaces, said he hired the crew as subcontractors to perform the caulking on the upscale complex’s balconies. He said the men have worked around Charleston for years and recently contacted him looking for work. Only, who wasn’t there at the time the scaffolding gave way, said he’s not sure what happened.

“The guys were working off the ladder and it fell over,” he said. “Something shifted. I don’t know.”

Barrios Jaldin was on top of a ladder and Condoro was on top of the scaffolding when it began to fall over, according to the incident report.

A third crew member said he and the other two men were caulking the area of the third-floor balconies when the scaffolding collapsed. He told police he didn’t know what caused it to fall, the report said.

Reach Andy Paras at 937-5589, aparas@postandcourier.com or on twitter at twitter.com/andyparas.