Construction Halted At Argyle High School Following Two Worker Deaths

Construction has been halted at a North Texas high school job site amid safety concerns after two workers died in accidents during the past week.

No work was being done Wednesday at Argyle High School following the fatalities during construction of an indoor activity center.

Trustees of the Argyle Independent School District held an emergency meeting late Tuesday, hours after the latest death, and suspended construction. Board members decided to hire their own safety consultant. Federal investigators are also reviewing the scene in Argyle, 20 miles north of Fort Worth.

The steel framework for the center collapsed last Thursday, killing Julio Ledesma-Perez.

A coroner says Daniel Moran of Haslet was run over Tuesday while guiding a truck and trailer operated by his father. Both were removing debris from the collapse.

Bruce Helm, principal of Northstar Builders Group, the general contractor on the Argyle ISD field house project, issued a statement saying his company is "deeply saddened by the deaths of these good men."

“Our hearts go out to their families, friends and co-workers," Helm said. “Northstar Builders Group is responding with all available resources to ensure the Argyle project goes forward toward a successful completion. We are cooperating fully in the investigation and we do not have all the answers at this time. We look forward to a clear understanding of what happened and the factors that contributed to the accidents."

Earlier story: Officials say one person has died in a traffic accident at a North Texas high school campus where a construction worker was killed last week when a structure collapsed.

A medical examiner says the single-fatality accident occurred Tuesday morning in Argyle.

The superintendent of the Argyle Independent School District says no students, staff or parents were involved. A statement from Telena Wright says the vehicle-pedestrian accident happened on a road next to Argyle High School's tennis courts.

Argyle police and fire department officials didn't immediately return messages Tuesday.

A construction worker died last Thursday when the steel frame for a school activities center collapsed. A coroner identified the victim as 36-year-old Julio Ledesma-Perez. Authorities are seeking the cause of the collapse.

Argyle is 20 miles north of Fort Worth.

Photo credit: Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram