1 killed, 1 injured in tunnel construction accident
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One person was killed and one person was injured in a construction accident near Lake Mead on Monday afternoon. Video by ktnv.com
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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- One person was killed and another was injured in a construction accident near Lake Mead on Monday afternoon.
The incident happened at about 4:30 p.m., 600 feet below ground at the Southern Nevada Water Authority Intake No. 3 project area.
Crews were working on the assembly of a steel tunnel ring when one of the sections came loose under pressure, causing grout to fall onto workers, a spokesperson for the SNWA said.
Initial information from the National Park Service stated that several workers were trapped in the tunnel and exposed to toxic gases, but the SNWA dispelled those reports.
"At no time were any workers trapped in the tunnel or exposed to toxic gases," a spokesperson for the SNWA said. "All other workers have been accounted for and are safe above ground. Furthermore, there was no flooding of the tunnel."
The employees working on the tunnel are private contractors with Vegas Tunnel Constructors, contracted out by the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
The victim who was killed has not been identified. The second victim suffered minor injuries.
The SNWA and OSHA are investigating the accident and said that construction activities will not resume until they are sure the tunnel is safe.
Action News will continue to update this story as new information becomes available.
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