Construction Disaster in Gdansk: Scaffold Falls at Residential Site, Two Dead, Four Injured, Probe Launched

Gdańsk, Poland— A construction scaffold collapsed at a residential building site in Gdańsk on October 20, killing two workers and leaving four others hospitalized after the structure gave way while workers were pouring concrete.

The collapse occurred at around 11:30 a.m. at a seven-story apartment building under construction in the Wrzeszcz district. The scaffold, about 25 meters high, was supporting workers on the sixth floor. Witnesses said they heard a loud crack, then the entire side of the scaffold buckled. Workers fell with metal poles and planks. Dust clouded the street.

Two workers, aged 28 and 34, died at the scene. Four others were injured, two critically with head injuries and fractures. They were taken to the University Clinical Center in Gdańsk. Firefighters and paramedics arrived within 15 minutes. They searched through tangled metal for trapped workers. One worker was rescued after being pinned for 40 minutes. His leg was crushed.

The building contractor, a company based in Gdynia, said the scaffold had been inspected last week and was certified. Workers said it had been swaying in wind for days. One worker who was on break at the time said, "We told the foreman the anchors looked loose. He said to keep working. Now two are dead." The company declined further comment pending investigation.

Construction accidents are frequent in Poland's booming housing market. The National Labour Inspectorate said scaffolding collapses account for 15 percent of fatal construction accidents. Many sites use old scaffolding, overload platforms with materials, and employ workers without proper safety training. The inspectorate had flagged this site for minor violations in August, but no follow-up inspection was done.

The district prosecutor's office opened an investigation for unintentional causing of death and endangering workers' safety. The construction site has been closed and secured. The building inspector will examine whether the scaffold was properly anchored to the building and whether it was overloaded with concrete and workers. Initial reports suggest the anchor bolts pulled out of the wall.

Residents in nearby apartments said they heard screams and ran to help. One woman said she brought blankets for injured workers. The street was closed for hours while a crane removed unstable parts of the scaffold. The city mayor said the city will review all active building sites in Gdańsk this week.

The two dead workers were from Ukraine and Poland. Their families have been notified. The four hospitalized remain under observation.