1 Dead In Jersey Shore Balcony Collapse At Boardwalk

SEA ISLE CITY, NJ - A construction worker died at a Sea Isle City condominium complex on Friday after a balcony collapsed onto him, authorities said.

The worker became trapped under a 30-foot concrete slab after an 8th floor balcony collapsed onto the 7th floor balcony he was working on at the Spinnaker South Tower condominiums on the 3600 block of the boardwalk, Sea Isle City police said in a statement.

"Sea Isle City Police, Fire and EMS attempted to reach the victim but observed significant cracks in the surrounding area and a slope to the balcony, and it was determined that the side of the building was unsafe," police said in a statement.

"As a result of the victim’s location, a coordinated recovery plan was developed to breach the outside wall of the building near the victim by cutting through approximately 12-inches of reinforced concrete (after the 7th floor balcony was temporarily stabilized from underneath)," police added. "Once an opening was created in the wall, the concrete slab was lifted by heavy lift air bags and the victim was successfully recovered."

The construction worker, identified as Jose Pereira, 43, of Philadelphia, was pronounced dead at the scene once first responders found his body shortly before 10 p.m., police said. The collapse was reported to 911 at around 2:20 p.m.

Pereira was an employee of Yardley, PA.-based Ferguson Contracting Inc. Two other workers were on the 8th floor during the collapse.

The building has since been evacuated for safety reasons, with engineers slated to inspect the development once all balconies are stabilized.

Sea Isle City police thanked the Cape May County and Camden County Regional Urban Search and Rescue Teams and Strathmere, Ocean City, Marmora, Stone Harbor and Wildwood Fire Departments, as well as the Cape May County Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Weapons Coordinator, Cape May County Communications and the Cape May County Emergency Medical Coordinator.

The collapse is currently under investigation by Sea Isle Police Detectives, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).