Construction worker killed at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex

A 30-year-old construction worker died after metal equipment fell on him near the baseball field of the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a UH spokesman said.

According to the Honolulu Police Department, construction workers were unloading metal parts wrapped in plastic from a Matson container sometime before 7:25 p.m. Thursday.

The material, weighing about 5,000 pounds, and a pallet jack were pushed to the open end of the container when the material went over the edge and fell on the worker.

Life-saving measures were conducted unsuccessfully.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.

The victim has not been identified.

The construction worker of Great Britain was employed by a subcontractor, Röder, a company based in Germany.

He was part of a work crew who recently arrived in Hawaii to help assemble and build tent-like hospitality suites for the athletic complex, according to UH spokesman Dan Meisenzahl.

“This is a terrible tragedy,” he said. “The University of Hawaii offers its deepest condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of the victim. We stand with you in your grief. UH is committed to doing everything we can to assist in the investigation of this devastating event.”

The university is expanding the athletic complex’s seat capacity to 9,000 seats from about 3,500 seats. The project also includes new hospitality suites and press boxes.

UH is spending $8.3 million on the retrofit expansion project after Aloha Stadium officials announced in December that spectator-attended events would not be allowed for the next three years due to structural concerns at the Halawa facility. The university is planning to use Ching Field for Rainbow Warrior home football games starting this season and until a new stadium is built.