Three workers have died and two others sustained injuries following a scaffolding collapse at the Port Arthur LNG construction site in Texas.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, 29 April, while work was underway at the liquefied natural gas terminal currently under development.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the collapse happened at approximately 2:00 AM local time. The structure gave way, resulting in several workers falling from height. Emergency responders declared two individuals deceased at the scene.
A third succumbed to injuries at a nearby hospital. The two remaining individuals suffered minor injuries and have since been discharged from hospital care.
Bechtel, the engineering and construction firm responsible for the site, acknowledged the incident and issued a statement confirming that all site operations had been suspended pending further investigation.
The company said: “We are deeply saddened to confirm a tank jump form system incident occurred at elevation on 29 April at the Port Arthur LNG construction site, resulting in three fatalities and two injuries. Our thoughts are with the families and our colleagues affected by this tragic incident.
“All work at the site was immediately stopped following the incident, and we have sent all craft professionals home early to be with their families during this difficult time.
“We are cooperating fully with local authorities as investigations continue and have launched our own internal review. Supporting those impacted and ensuring site safety remain our top priorities.”
An official investigation has been launched by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which will work in coordination with local law enforcement to determine the cause of the collapse and assess any breaches of construction safety protocols.
The Port Arthur LNG terminal, located along the Gulf Coast, is being developed by Sempra Infrastructure in collaboration with ConocoPhillips.
Once complete, the facility is expected to have a nameplate capacity of approximately 13 million tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas for export. The project is part of a broader expansion of US LNG export capacity aimed at supporting global energy markets.
Construction at the Port Arthur LNG site forms part of a significant infrastructure initiative tied to increasing US natural gas output and export capability. The terminal is considered strategic in meeting both domestic and international energy demand.
OSHA is expected to release preliminary findings in the coming weeks, following a detailed assessment of the site and interviews with project staff and subcontractors.
