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Friends and co-workers of Sergio Cruz mourned his death Friday as authorities released his name as the construction worker killed this week in a worksite accident at UC San Diego.

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Cruz, 32, was helping build a mixed-use project called North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood at the La Jolla-area campus when a rebar wall frame collapsed onto him and three fellow laborers shortly before 8:30 a.m. Thursday, according to university officials and the county Medical Examiner’s Office.

Medics took the four Clark Construction employees to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, where Cruz was pronounced dead from head injuries later in the morning. The other victims were treated for minor injuries, said UCSD spokeswoman Christine Clark.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, will investigate the case and determine if any citations are warranted, as is standard in cases of serious industrial accidents in the state.

Tasha Williamson, the San Diego mayoral candidate and co-founder of the San Diego Compassion Project, posted prayers and condolences on Facebook.

“Construction workers are the very core of our [city’s] ability to have an infrastructure that supports our daily way of living,” she said. “These men and women put their lives at risk every day to build for our way of life.”

She listed Cruz’s labor union local for donations: Ironworkers Local 229 Attention: UCSD Construction Accident 5155 Mercury Point San Diego, CA 92111.

Tattoo artist Cesar Cabrera Jr., said to have done his apprenticeship with Cruz, offered to do tattoos in his memory with proceeds going to Cruz’s family.

The San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council posted condolences and a wish: “Stay safe, brothers and sisters.”

— City News Service contributed to this report.

Ironworker Sergio Cruz Mourned After UCSD Fatality; Donations Sought was last modified: by

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