State investigating fatal Cedar Rapids construction accident

The state's Labor Services Division is investigating a construction accident that killed an Anamosa man.

Faron Fritz, 30, died at St. Luke's Hospital of injuries suffered Monday morning, his brother-in-law Mark Baumler said.

Fritz was working for Ricklefs Construction of Anamosa when the accident occurred about 9:30 a.m. at 3141 Williams Parkway SW, Division of Labor Attorney Gail Lucht confirmed.

Lucht said an investigator arrived on the scene Monday. She said she wasn't able to comment further on an active investigation. State and federal law requires a workplace investigation after a fatal accident. If citations are issued, they will be public, but Lucht wasn't able to estimate how long the investigation will take.

The Cedar Rapids Fire Department and Area Ambulance were sent to the construction site after a steel beam or heavy metal pipe fell on a worker, fire department spokesman Greg Buelow said.

Efforts to contact Ricklefs Construction have so far been unsuccessful.

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