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Noon vigil marks 'avoidable' onsite death of dad

A Vigil will be held in London today at the site where a 33-year-old worker was crushed to death when a building collapsed.

A Vigil will be held in London today at the site where a 33-year-old worker was crushed to death when a building collapsed.

Thirty-three-year-old Dainus Rupsys from Lithuania was killed on Monday while working on the redevelopment of the US navy building in Grosvenor Square.

The dad of two was killed instantly when a mini digger plummeted through the ceiling above him.

Another worker was seriously injured.

Construction union Ucatt London and South East regional secretary Jerry Swain described it as a "terrible tragedy."

A silent vigil to remember Mr Rupsys and raise the alarm construction fatalities in the wake of government attacks on health and safety is being held at 12pm.

Mr Swain added: "From the facts we know so far it would appear to have been a wholly avoidable accident."

The Health and Safety Executive said a "thorough" investigation has been launched.

But Ucatt general secretary Steve Murphy said the government's attacks on the executive and safety laws could spark more horrors.

He said: "The industry is now growing for the first time since 2008 and in London it is growing rapidly.

"After every previous recession there has been an increase in fatalities.

"With the government's attacks on the Healt and Safety Executive and cutting safety laws that increase could be even higher."

Ucatt members will gather at the Building Workers statue at Tower Hill on April 28 - Workers Memorial Day - to remember fellow workers who have been killed and injured in the industry.

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