Olympics death 'natural causes'

The crane operator that died on the Olympic Park on Tuesday died of natural causes, according to a post-mortem.

The Metropolitan Police statement yesterday implied initial tests had concluded the man, who is the first death on the park, had not died from a fall. A spokesperson said: “Post Mortem results indicate cause of death as natural causes.”

The news follows reports the 65 year-old crane operator, who worked for Laing O’Rourke subsidiary Select Plant Hire, may have suffered a heart attack.

An eyewitness reported seeing the victim slip and fall 30ft while climbing down the ladder in stormy conditions.

The body of the man was found slumped in the stairwell at the foot of the crane and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A statement from Laing O’Rourke said: “”We can confirm that an employee working for Select Plant died at the London 2012 Olympic Village site in the afternoon of 28th June 2011. The person was attended to by site based rescue teams and paramedics, who were unable to effect resuscitation. Our thoughts are with the family of the deceased at this sad time. An investigation is taking place into the circumstances of the death.”
The Olympic Delivery Authority said the incident was still being investigated. A statement said: “The sympathies of everyone at the ODA and its contractors are with this individual’s family and friends at this very difficult time.”

Earlier this month the ODA reported that after three million working hours - with more than 12,000 labourers on site - there had been no serious injuries.