Cancun, Quintana Roo — A construction worker died Tuesday night when a concrete slab collapsed during remodeling work at the Riu Peninsula hotel in Cancun’s Hotel Zone, authorities confirmed.
The accident occurred around 7 p.m. at the hotel located at kilometer 6 of the Hotel Zone, though the 911 emergency call was placed more than an hour later, raising questions about the delay in requesting emergency services.
Before police and rescue teams arrived, a private ambulance entered the resort to assist injured workers. Minutes later, Tourist Police, Civil Protection personnel, and firefighters reached the scene.
According to information gathered at the site, workers were pouring concrete when the structure suddenly gave way, burying them under large amounts of concrete and construction materials.
Hotel security initially tried to restrict authorities’ access, sources said. After Civil Protection intervened, the building was sealed off to allow investigations.
The area remained cordoned off for several hours as investigators from the State Prosecutor’s Office and Civil Protection conducted preliminary inquiries to determine the cause of the collapse.
The State Civil Protection Coordination (Coeproc) reported that one worker was injured and taken to Galenia Hospital, where he died upon arrival. Coeproc’s statement, released shortly before midnight, did not mention any other injuries, despite Cancun Civil Protection Coordinator Joaquin Marrufo reporting at the scene that another worker was hurt, though apparently not seriously.
State prosecutors are investigating whether the construction site met required safety standards and whether workers had adequate protective equipment at the time of the collapse. No arrests have been reported.
