A 36-year-old construction worker was killed and two others critically injured yesterday morning after a metal scaffold came into contact with a high-voltage power line at a construction site at Plantation Houston, East Bank Demerara.
The deceased worker has been identified only as Yardon.
The incident occurred shortly after 8:00 a.m. at a building being constructed for Toucan Distributors at Lot S6.
According to preliminary information, Yardon and two other men were working on a metal scaffold outside the building when the scaffold reportedly rolled backwards and came into contact with a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) electrical line.
The scaffold’s wheels reportedly had not been properly secured.
All three workers suffered massive electric shocks. Yardon reportedly came into direct contact with the power lines and was thrown to the ground, with his clothing catching fire.
Other workers at the site reportedly attempted to assist using a fire extinguisher while emergency medical personnel were summoned.
Yardon was pronounced dead at the scene, while the two injured workers were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they remain in critical condition.
One of the injured men has been identified as 29-year-old Troy Estriado, also known as “Labba,” of Kuru Kuru. The identity of the other injured worker has not yet been established.
In a statement, GPL said it was made aware of the “tragic accident” in which scaffolding r rolled away from a building and came into contact with one of its 13.8 kV primary distribution lines.
The company reminded contractors, workers and members of the public to exercise extreme caution when operating near its electrical lines, poles and other network infrastructure, stressing that appropriate safety measures must always be maintained to prevent similar incidents.
Meanwhile, Minister of Labour Keoma Griffith told Kiskadee Watch that the Ministry is continuing its investigations into the incident and is also working to bring greater awareness to workplace safety.
The Minister said the Ministry cannot interfere with the police investigation, noting, “When these things happen we can’t intercept police investigation.”
The latest fatality comes amid growing concerns over workplace safety in Guyana, with several workers, including foreign nationals, losing their lives in separate workplace-related incidents in recent months.
Last Friday, two oil workers were killed in a road accident shortly after arriving in Guyana when a heavy-duty truck collided with the bus in which they were travelling.
Earlier last week, a Cuban national employed at the Muneshwers Container Terminal was reportedly crushed to death by a container being moved at the facility.
In July, another Cuban national died at a worksite after reportedly being struck in the head by a construction hose, while in December 2025, a Cuban national was killed after a concrete wall collapsed and buried him at his workplace.
The Ministry of Labour had previously indicated that investigations were launched into several of these incidents, but the outcomes of those investigations have not been publicly disclosed.
The Ministry is also investigating the deaths of cargo vessel workers who died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning aboard their vessel, as well as two Berbice workers who died after a barge transporting them to Georgetown sank.
The latest Houston incident has once again raised questions about workplace safety standards, enforcement and accountability, particularly at construction sites where workers operate in close proximity to electrical infrastructure.
Police are continuing their investigations.
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