Water station worker killed by falling concrete slab

MANILA, Philippines - A water station employee was killed after a concrete slab fell on him from the fourth floor of a condominium building in Sampaloc, Manila Friday.

Jero-en Calderon, 16, reportedly an employee of the Aqua Finale water station, was selling bottled mineral water along the sidewalk of Legarda street when the slab – about a meter long and weighing between 20 kilos and 30 kilos – fell from the façade of the Wise Condominium at around 8:30 a.m. Friday, Senior Police Officer 1 Ramir Dimagiba said.

Bystanders brought him to the Ospital ng Sampaloc, but he died at around 2:30 p.m. from head and body injuries.

Investigators are trying to find out if the slab separated from the rest of the façade due to a defect in the construction of the condominium or human error.

Police are still investigating if the owner of the condominium, identified as Magdalena Tiu, could be held criminally liable for Calderon’s death.