Columbus, MS– A tragic accident occurred late Monday morning at the Mississippi University for Women (MUW) in Columbus, Mississippi, when a roofer fell from a two-story building and later died from his injuries.
According to Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant, the incident took place at Painter Hall, a campus building that houses humanities classes. The victim, identified as 47-year-old Ignacio Hernandez, was working for a Jackson-based roofing company that had been contracted to remove the building’s existing roof.
Officials say Hernandez fell approximately 35 feet to the ground. Preliminary findings suggest a failure in his safety equipment contributed to the fatal fall. He was transported to a hospital in Columbus, where he was later pronounced dead.
